This one pretty much speaks for itself, but it’s a good example of inside-the-bottle copy, written by application developers.

Here’s the thing, Microsoft: If you’re going to explain something to me about the thing I obviously don’t understand, I’d prefer if you did it in my language — not in Microsoftese. If I understood how to get the most out of your email program, or if I even knew what a “compiled script” was and/or why I may need to add one, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. In fact, I found this message because I was trying to undo a sorting rule I’d accidentally created in my email. In the future, please do us both a favor and assume that I know nothing. Most of the time, you’d be right.

Too bad “OK” is my only option. Would it have killed them to actually link me to where I need to go? (I’d gladly tell the smart people at Microsoft how to fix this problem, but my understanding of what it is that I’m supposed to understand from this message is located in a folder, which is located within another folder, which is tied in a knot, and buried in dust, deep within the left hemisphere of my brain.)

[If you haven’t read Part 1 of this series, check it out. There’s a great discussion happening in the comments.]

Related Posts:

• The Aristotle Code: Inspiring Online Credibility (Part 1)
• Case Study: Karma Police Arrest Radiohead for Leaving Cash on the Table
• When Developers Write Copy -- Part 1
• So-Bad-They're-Good Opening Lines
• We're Not Worthy...We're Not Worthy...