I understand the negative sentiment in regard to ripple and share similar concerns but I am not sure how anyone can define what a cryptocurrency should look like and how they should be governed. Although it may not be technically 'mining' I was rewarded with Ripple some years back for running a BOINC client analysing data for cancer research and other endeavor's. I recently turned up my house looking for my wallet PK and am relieved to have found it.
I think all innovation in blockchain technology is a positive for the entire ecosystem and will help opening more eyes to the opportunities that exist in this space.