As far as I know, Path had done the cover photo thing before Facebook.

The cover photo is to social networks as extra blades are to razors. Features are being stockpiled as if these companies were caught up in an arms race. It seems platform won't risk being caught without equivalencies, without questioning the worth of mimicking in the first place.

I'd like to see more confidence shown by social networks. Who's forging ahead when they're all chasing each other's tails?

What's the "cover photo thing"?

The thing where you get to set a widescreen photo at the top of the profile page. Your profile pic is overlay-ed on top of it.