I joined this thread looking to learn more about Ripple.
I also signed up to create a ripple account, but it seems slightly useless without a source of XRP.
Checking this thread, the third or fourth post was made by a senior member of bitcointalk, and links to this blog:
http://ripplescam.org/having read it, and checked up a bit on their own site, the blog points out some massive holes in the Ripple concept & implementation.
7 months after launch and the source code is still awaiting release.
It looks like a corporate mixing of BTC and current banking transaction system, the nodes do seem to be privately run also...
Most of senior member and heroes member on bitcointalk think ripple is a great concept. Some people created ripplescam.org and some of there critisms are not dumb but most of them are. Ripple team is still writing and working hard on the protocol. Actually the best you can do is read about ripple and discuss any point you may find weird on
www.ripple.com/forumOpenCoin already answered all the point of ripplescam.org but if you go on the forum and ask the same question or some new questions they will answer.
Ripplescam.org has been created by someone who has some economic interest in harming ripple.
Don't be dumb, read about ripple, make you OWN OPINION, and if you have ANY question ==>
www.ripple.com/forumOtherwise, that's up to you to swallow ripplescam.org bullshit without questioning.