Breaking News January 2015. After getting $100 in free bitcoin in 2014, a small group of MIT students dropout of school and invent a 2nd generation cryptocurrency that smashes bitcoin and goes on to be rapidly accepted by the whole world. Hahahaha
Just saying... stranger things have happened.
I had not thought of that, but now that you mention it:
Oops.
I think BTC will remain #1 (similar the the .com domain extension) and at least several alts will survive long-term.