Ripple may wind up being predominantly used between payment systems rather than between users directly.
Could you expand on this? I'm not sure I follow what you mean.
You think that Ripple may only have Gateways?
As people find the Ripple network useful, we hope they'll contribute the features they most need or want.
I think most people expect OpenCoin to handle the development, as our understanding is that development was supposed to be funded by XRP.
If that is not the case, then it's more probable that voluntary efforts will be put behind something without the premine. I hope you don't take that as a personal insult, that's just where the incentives lie.