personally, the first thing I turn off when installing an IM client is graphical emoticons (and I hate the new versions of ICQ where this is not even possible >_<).
but I do see an increasing demand from the userbase asking for emoticons, mostly because they are used to it from IM clients.
as long as it's an option that is easily turned off, I'm fine with it getting implemented. for me though, it wouldn't have high priority (because I will turn it off as soon as it does anyways ;-])
