From what you read it was once upon a time all just techno, with a big melting pot of styles, which sounds pretty cool. But we've moved away from that. Over time, as it has grown and mutated, people have specialised in a certain sound, and so the genre thing has become more divided. Each DJ has a reputation (however loose) for playing a certain sound, so that in itself adds to the pigeonholing. I would never go to a club night to see DAVE the Drummer (no offence!) cos I'm really not into the acid sound, but then I'd jump at the vhance to see Matthew Dear, or Hawtin, cos I know pretty much what to expect, and I know I'd enjoy the night.

I think techno is far more diverse now than it used to be, which is a good thing, but that does lead to genres/subgenres etc which can fragment things.