I agree. It is a great game. My friend and I still play the card game version of it all the time. Well if they don't want to spend any more money then maybe they could release it to open source? If they eventually stop supporting it, sales will eventually dry up anyways, so its not like they would be losing any money.
Then again, if they update the game and allow self hosting and local campaign games, maybe interest in the game will be revitalized. There is a lot they could do to make the game even more appealing. Add more planes, more campaigns, include the Locked On material, etc...
The reason I'm posting here is because my interest in the PC game was renewed because of all the playtime my buddy and I spend on the card game. I was all ready to plop down some cash and get the Eastern Front expansion pack, but now am not so sure. Wouldn't be much fun if these connection problems don't get ironed out.