I'm not sure initial distribution matters (and I'm even less sure it should). What we should be comparing is the distribution both currencies have on a given calendar day. So when NEM launches, it has a 1000 or so holders, and on the same day Nxt has 43,000 or so. How does that make NEM better?

I'm also not convinced that an initial wide distribution helps, especially if a lot of those people got their coins for free. Many of them will cash in immediately for free money, and many more will sit back and let other people make the currency worth something. You'll get a lot of bystander apathy. I admit, I'm doing this with other coin give-aways. Why not? Part of why Nxt has been successful is that the relatively few Nxt whales knew the onus was on them to make the currency a success.