How is that any different than someone cloning the coin right now... it won't magically create a masternode network serving as the backbone. Further, it's far more probable precautions will be taken to make sure there is a stale period on the Darkcoin name.
That has, is and will happen. Spreadcoin anyone?
ahh... but what about the one who doesn't clone, yet seems to think and code 3 steps ahead of everyone else?
That was suppose to be the case with SPR but alas, it didn't happen. One of the greatest aspects about Darkcoin as it currently stands over the year is the distribution of the coins, certainly after the mishap over the instamine. It almost became a necessary evil to be able to structure the MN's with a 1k requirement and have a suitable number without taking too many coins "out of circulation". Anyone is free to clone Darkcoin or make improvements... it is, afterall, open source. But then you need to also figure out how to distribute the coin in such a way that allows a network suitable in size to Dark's to allow functionality of both DS and IX.