[akhtene]

Just a couple of thoughts in the middle of the night...

"why Gollum didn't turn to "dussst" after losing the Ring"? I think while keeping the Ring for about 500 years he long ago outlived that time when his real age could catch up with him. He couldn't simply die of old age (FAR TOO old for that [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img] ) It's like he got stuck between a mortal state and that of a wraith - transformed mentally and partly physically.

The Ring and hobbits: I somehow believe that the Ring appealed not to the evil side of its keeper's nature, but to its dominant trait (eventually making good use of it). In Smeagorl's case those were greed and meannes, the soul ready for corruption.
With Sam it was different. He wanted only good for Frodo, so he took the Ring to continue Frodo's quest (thinking him dead), used it to resque Frodo, offered to carry the Ring to lighten Frodo's burden and gave it back seeing what distress the offer causse. Most probably given time the Ring could make good use even of such devotion, but...it simply wasn't given time.