If they still had Gandalf...

[mormegil]

In reading all of these posts on the speculation we seem to be missing one important factor, and that is does everything happen in the same time frame?

What I mean is this--If Gandalf lived (no balrog following) they wouldn't have stayed in Lothlorien nearly as long as they did (around a month...correct?). They would have stayed to get rest and supplies but wouldn't have needed the healing from the passing of Gandalf. Therefore they would have set out sooner on their quest and that alone can change the whole dynamic.

Would they have actually encountered the orcs that captured Merry and Pippin?
Would Aragorn have come in contact with the Palantir and pit his will against Sauron, thus having Sauron wage war sooner?
If Sauron hadn't rushed his hand Faramir wouldn't have been attacked, Denethor wouldn't have attempted to burn him alive and Gondor wouldn't have been under seige at that time.

It could be asked what would happen if the fellowship had left Lothlorien earlier and were successful in destroying the ring (regardless of who actually went into Mordor) then what? Sauruman isn't much to deal with in all honesty. So that's my addition currently. Thanks for the fun topic.