There doesn't need to be '.bit' DNS proxies for it to be used. Software can build in support for the namecoin protocol itself. For example, a poker client could use namecoin to lookup IP addresses for its servers. There's no need to worry about the user's ISP filtering their DNS for such things (like the 'blacklists' that some countries ISP's use). Torrent applications could use namecoin directly to find torrent search engines. Browsers could build in the lookup and bypass the need of '.something' and just have 'name'.
I think namecoin will remain a niche for quite a while as services as software build around it. If that doesn't happen then it will probably fade away. Maybe it'll see some use as a secondary currency. If services and software do start to use it things could get more interesting. If it fails, hopefully something will learn from it and a better alternative system to DNS will rise out of it.
(Disclaimer: I run a namecoin pool and exchange)
99% of Bitcoin users and 100% of regular people have no idea what any of that means.