Yeah, cause there's just so much real world applications for double SHA256, the possibilities are endless! You might as well go and buy a few tulip buds.
Just like the internet in 1995....you can't see what hasn't been yet created (the amount of available ASICS processing power is very high and could potentially be monetized other than just mining coins)....Plus FWIW there are shitons of people who make a viable living doing stuff that we would scoff at - janitorial businesses, fast food propritors, ditch diggers, and yes, tulip growers.
When I first saw KnC they were saying a couple of things that I got mixed up for a short time, they were talking about a litecoin rig and modular miners...and for a short time I had a picture of a dual miner, one module mining each ..the litecoins paying the power bill while the other mined BTC.
You're right about people finding a way to use all this kit I think, necessity is the mother of invention.
Back in 1995 Internet exploder was by far the top browser, Chrome didn't exist....no-one would have believed what we have now. Maybe well all end up looking back and wishing we'd been mining another currency that follows the same path as BTC has.