After the DAO attack etherum team split, Vitalik and his group edited the etherum code so that reversals could be possible to please investors "saving his ass" and called the edited "compromised" code Ethereum and the old code and that was left behind is called Ethereum classic which still have the old development team that didn't sell out.
Cryptocurrencies are originally tools in hacker space to be used for a purpose, now all these investors are lining up to get hacked because all they see is an investment or currency cross to be traded.
ETC will remain relevant until it's code is compromised. Hackers want to get away when they do their thing.
ZEC is also compromised a better opsec would be XMR.
Vitalik is indeed a genius however geniuses sell out all the time after all most men will lose all honor and gain new honor for riches.
The same thing is happening to bitcoin as well the code is being edited because of greed. Bitcoin could be used as internet money however they all seem to really want it to be able to be used as "internet currency". just goes to show even though we are a smart generation we still do have a really young mind.