Who knows what the eventual future of ixcoin is,  but really, I don't care.  I'm looking at this more like gambling... You can earn 'chips' with miners, or you can buy them with bitcoin.  Then you play them on the market (ixchange).  Then you win or lose.   I'm having quite a bit of fun playing - it's pretty addicting.

1. It's created a busy market involving the use of bitcoin.  Bitcoin needs as many uses as it can get.

2. Miners are being siphoned off to this - is that a bad thing?

3. So some guy modified a few lines of bitcoin and called it a new currency.  The guy who invented the pet rock made a killing too.  But he got some traction, and generated some interest.  Good for him.  Wish I would have done it.

4. It will never replace bitcoin.  It's not even a currency yet - nobody takes it except ixchange. (that I've seen).   Right now it's nothing more than casino chips that you can earn with miners or buy with bitcoin and play on ixchange.

I'm sure the created of ixcoin would not prefer to have it seen in this light, but it is what it is.  Maybe someday it'll catch on.  But I fail to see the downside as it is right now.  It's a fun distraction that provides yet another use for bitcoins.