I think the most IW should do if they bother with this at all is implement a damage type possibility for modders...because it seems based on this and the poll that this isn't a unanimous decision by the community, but rather a few players who want it...and that's a fine place for modding to come in.
If you modders balance it right we all might play Damage Types Dominions 2...and if not I'm more than happy with the current system. A spear is still not even close to equivalent to an axe or a sword. Small modifiers count for quite a bit.