PoW/S is proof of investment in system. I don't need to know who they are. Conversely, I could spin up a ripple server but I doubt anyone would connect to it till they knew who I was.
my point is PoW/S is trust in objective impersonal metrics. Ripple requires you make a 'descision' of which other nodes you trust, prob based on WHO you think they are.(right?)
I think you didn't get it right, Ripple gateways are not equivalent of Bitcoin mining nodes. They are equivalent of bitcoin addresses. Obviously you have to make a decision to
Transfer funds to a business entity. Running a gateway is not necessary for all users but it's required for bigger businesses running on Ripple, like Bitstamp.
Anyway comparing it to PoW is not that much useful. Obviously PoW is more secure but it's also more expensive and is created to address a different usecase
