The difference in Ethereum is that jts not just a fork of bitcoin but a totally new concept. Its like bitcoin was to all other alt coins as is Ethereum to forks of Ethereum technology.
Bitcoin solved a problem - a need for de-centralized exchange of value.
What problem does Ethereum solve?
As far as decentralized distributed computing goes, there really isn't a need like there was with value.
The purpose it seems to be serving now is speculation and not function. Bitcoin is currently used to exchange value, is ethereum being used for distributed computing? By whom? Will it ever be used for that?
The only way it ever would be used for distributed computing is if it is so cheap that it is worthless for speculation because non-decentralized distributed computing power (e.g. Amazon cloud) is cheap.
I feel sorry for the speculators, I don't see how Ethereum ever can do what it is suppose to do if it gains value. It has to lose value or it is useless.
You got a point mate.... Right now there is little if not no valuable dapps out there. However, Ethereum is providing the clean sheet that BTC has been unable to deliver so far.
Ethereum is bringing the blockchain technology to the doors of Wall Street and rest of the banking and financial industry, a thing that BTC has failed so far.
If real life dapps will then be built & deployed? Only the future will tell. In the meantime, enjoy the ride while it lasts
The first application will be Augur, it is the first big crowd sale of the DApp based on Ethereum. If it is successful, it will be a big boost.