The Funny Side of Help

The more I explore help on the internet the more I see humor being used in documentation. Most of the time, I appreciate the unexpected approach to help. But, am I the exception? I’ve often heard how difficult it can be to use humor effectively. Humor for the most part is not a universal language across cultures. We’ve been taught in technical communication to write as one voice. I still think it's a valid point because inconsistency in language can drive me bonkers. However, is the movement towards folksonomies and relaxed language in explanations pushing us towards the point where we can be completely casual with our users?

I’m not entirely convinced. It seems to me it depends on the software you are explaining. A site like Twitter or Flickr can be edgy because of the type of content it manages. Software in the business world doesn’t necessarily seem like ripe ground for experimentation. I do think though that exploring what language you use is a valid discussion point. Do we need to be formal? Does being too formal make reading for understanding more difficult? I know when I read for understanding I like to feel like the writer is talking to me instead of in a monotone generic voice.

What language do you use in your communications? Have you used humor? Or, do you have an opinion on the language we use in our help files and user guides?

If you have some examples of some funny help documentation, be sure to share those too.