WTF means ...Where`s the Fire? Oh No. from Planck's Constant

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WTF
Photo: chasesound.

OO January 31, 2007 Technorati released a new feature called "WTF" or "Where's the fire?. Here's their description:

Where's the Fire? What's Hot and Why.
Ever wonder why something is sooooo popular? Why are the hot topics hot? WTFs explain the buzz around people, things, and events. Who writes these WTFs? You do! Anyone can write one on any topic, and everyone can vote for the best explanations. The ones with the most votes rise up and the dreck sinks. Let millions of other people benefit from your genius… no blog required!

I wish they used some other abbreviation, this could get confusing. Years ago gay meant happy, although I suppose if you're gay you have a lot to be happy about: in general, you have a great job, make a lot more money than straights, you have your own magazines such as Next (whose offices are right above mine in Manhattan), most women would die to have a boyfriend as good looking as yours, and you have more fun during Halloween than most 10 year-olds; what's not to be happy about? However the word gay is forever lost to the rest of us. Even though some mornings I feel very sprightly and joyful I cannot say to anyone at work, "Damn I feel gay today!"

So it is with WTF. Half the Internet enjoys peppering their sites with WTF?! when the situation calls for it. And very few people got WTF confused with the World Taekwondo Federation. However Technorati will be generating millions of new tags of WTF with a meaning opposite to its present one. It's a shame, really; Technorati's idea of adding some DIGG functionality to their site is great, but as I said, it will be confusing. We'll just have to put up with WTF tags that either mean the article has a great explanation about a topic, or that there is no sensible explanation for the subject of that article.

Although Technorati's concept is great, I mean WTF were they thinking? I hope this post of mine explained to you some of the WTF for this new feature.

Related: Some interesting comments at John Chow dot Com