The fork already has a progressive nature in terms of effective spring rate - the air volume in the fork decreases as you go through the stroke - as volume decreases the pressure increases - and setting oil level is used to tune this....
The rear also has a progressive nature due to the design of the linkage...
This is my personal experience - not theory... A progressive spring tends to go through the initial stroke of the fork *way* too fast and then you are into the "stiff portion" of the progressive spring. This is *very* unpleasant when braking hard and hitting braking bumps or in harsh terrain that gets you into the stroke of the fork...
Basically - somewhere in the stroke of the fork you will have the correct spring rate for your needs - and anywhere else you will either be too soft or too stiff for your needs...
It's an old idea that was dropped for a reason....
And see - I said I wouldn't piss in anybody's wheaties and I went ahead and did it anyway...
jeff