It’s always amusing to see copycats in the Web 2.0 world. Mostly because it’s just so damn easy.

Is Happycampr ripping off Truemors. Both allow people to tell the world secrets that they know. And both use a Digg system to moderate the postings.

Even the graphics are similar:

Truemors is Guy Kawasaki’s newest controversial venture that was recently launched. It’s been met with criticism, mostly about how Guy has no experience in the rumor mill industry. My only criticism is that the system as it stands now is simply being used by firms promoting their own products. Not that I’m beyond that.

Sergey Brin is helping finance his wife’s biotech startup, 23andMe. In other words, Google is investing in your DNA. Scared yet? Many people already have a disdain for Google.

23andMe’s mission is

[...] to connect you to the 23 paired volumes of your own genetic blueprint (plus your mitochondrial DNA), bringing you personal insight into ancestry, genealogy, and inherited traits.

Google’s goal (other than advertising) is to organize the world’s information. And what information is more relevant than your own genes? Imagine a future where you would be able to query Google about your genetic makeup.

Query: Should I eat that fatty meatball sandwich?
Google: We recommend that you don’t. High cholesterol runs in your family. [Ad: Low prices on Lipitor!]

Query: Should I become an artist?
Google: No, we recommend that you become an engineer. Your genes have a high geek-level count. [Ad: Buy hard drives at Amazon]

Query: Should I have kids now or later?
Google: Immediately. Your genetics show that you have a low fertility rate. [Ad: Get free fertility counseling]

Okay, so maybe this is a little overdramatic, but I believe that we’re headed this direction in the world of genetic profiling. Unlike most other people, I’m optimistic about the benefits that we’ll derive from such a keen understanding of our genes. I don’t mind giving up a little privacy about myself to Google (which I am already) if it means the potential of discovering a threat to my health that would otherwise be overlooked.

And anyway, if I really wanted to become an artist, I’m not going to let a Google query tell me what to do.

Today, Technorati launched a major redesign, both in the look-and-feel and the data architecture. The company is moving in a new direction, one that is focused on searching the “Live Web”, rather than just a blog search. Techcrunch and Steve Rubel both put in their two cents, and are a bit bearish about the changes.

The elephant in the room is clearly Google and their increasing index of blogs and other social media platforms. I’m skeptical that the changes will divert Technorati on a collision course with Google, but they are at least moving somewhat in the right direction. The major positive news is that the site is faster and simpler to use. Gone are the multiple search verticals within Technorati, which are replaced with one search.

But, there are still some changes that are puzzling, including a ticker of search terms “on the move” hovering at the top of the front page. It’s useless to me, and the terms are clearly out of context. Another pet peeve is the ever present popular items tag cloud on the front page. Again, most of the time it’s useless. Finally, when I put in a search query, the results are quite shallow. There are only about 3 blog posts that are on the first page; you have to click again to reveal more. As a power user, this is unacceptable–at least return as many results as Google would.

With all the talks about internal conflicts in the company, it looks like Technorati’s fate is uncertain. I know I use the site less now than a year ago.

Perhaps it would be a good buy for Google?

This past Sunday I was bringing up the rear at Bay to Breakers, shooting as many wacky people as possible. There were a few close calls with the SLR being knocked around, but overall, the crowd was just chilling. Highlights include a moving giant aquarium with fish dressed people inside, a whole crowd of baroque aristocrats, and of course, the salmon “swimming” upstream.

Joanne and I ended up walking about halfway and grabbing lunch in the Haight. At the end, I realized that we could have snapped much better pictures if we had started standing at the midpoint of the race and just shot people as they approached us. Keeping up with the crowd while shooting pictures can be quite a challenge. All in all, it was a great day for shooting, and bay to breakers never shy away from a photo op.

After yet another long posting hiatus, I decided it was a good time to redesign this blog. It’ll give me a little push to keep writing, and to write more consistently.

The redesign this time around is all about simplicity and a keen focus on content. There’s no fussing about with complicated borders and lines. The white space and word spacings do well enough to structure the content for ease of reading. The general idea is to put as little as possible between my writing and the viewer. And yes, if you can’t tell yet, I’ve been on a minimalistic kick lately. Let me know what you think about the new design.

Another change to note is that I switched over to WordPress. I’ve found that WordPress is simply superior to MovableType in its flexibility and design. And also, it’ll make Matt happy that I finally switched over.

Finally, I’ve taken out all the automatic daily del.icio.us postings. I’d like to keep this blog focused on my writing and photos. The links were distracting this focus. If you want to continue following my del.icio.us links, head over to my del.icio.us page.

So, expect more postings to come in the near future. Now, time to rest up after struggling with WordPress template designing.