To be honest, you can't focus on that Boromir not dying would've made the story more interesting and longer; his death did do more than that.
First off, things never would've been the same. If you had it so Merry and Pippin would've been taken because Boromir wasn't around at the time, his character wouldn't have changed; there's no redemption (besides, at the begining of the series when Boromir sees the ring you knew that something bad would come of it). Or if you had it so Aragorn would've been able to heal his wounds (it wouldn't have been instantly mind you), the remainder of the Fellowship would've had to wait for him to recover; and that would really mess up the story.
Second, aren't you all forgetting about Faramir?! He's not the exact opposite of Boromir, but he posseses qualities that his brother lacked. If anything, Faramir is the one who proves that not all men are weak and susceptible to the ring (Aragorn doesn't really count; he's the main character, a descendant of Isildur, and his blood hasn't been tainted like Faramir's). If Boromir hadn't died, the character of Faramir would've been diminished (and consequently, all that happened with Denethor) and that would've totally screwed up the story. Could you imagine it back at Minas Tirith, "Hey little bro," "Boromir! You're back!"
No, it wouldn't be Tolkien's style...
Lastly, Tolkien is known for his bitter-sweet stories. Come on, admit it! You knew ONE of the fellowship was going do die didn't you?
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