The server is not open source yet. Once the server is open source, we'll have to obtain a consensus on every feature change that affects what transactions are valid or what effects they have, just like Bitcoin does. I used to say we sometimes make those kinds of changes three times a day. We're probably down to once a week at most now.
Why could you not have released a version that doesn't partake in a consensus? i.e. your server(s) don't have to pay attention to whatever other servers are out there just because they exist. You have to understand that when you have say "open" and have the OSI symbol on your website people will react very negatively when they find out that is isn't actually open source.
We're not promoting Ripple as a social/community credit platform right now but rather as a payment and exchange system. (Though I have high hopes for it in the future.)
I have to say, this should be much clearer in the client and in the information on your website. A lot of the diagrams have pictures of casual people where they should actually have guys in suits.
I've only started reading about ripple but my initial thoughts are that it won't gain any real traction as a community credit system, as people aren't going to want to hassle their friends for money when they weren't one of the end parties of the transfer. I can see this being acceptable to a business with contracts in place but not socially.
That brings me to the other claim on your website: "free(ish)". As Gateways and the intermediaries will be for-profit entities, I don't see how this will be free(ish) at all, even if the base XRP cost is near-free everybody else will charge money. It will possibly be cheaper than other ways of sending money, but I don't even see how that's guaranteed.