They notice a disturbance in Wiki and the HallmarkPeople clasp their hands over their faces in horror. Who could have done something so horrible? Why would someone vandalize Wiki? And perhaps the most important question to ask, what strained anthropomorphic metaphor about Wiki can I squeeze out that expresses my inner sadness over this tragedy? The sappy melodramatic metaphors flow as liquid as their tears.
This strikes me as quite uncomplimentary to certain people on Wiki. I'm half inclined to ask for examples of anthropomorphic metaphors that became too strained in the last week, for example. There again, I'm a little concerned of the effect that doing this might have on the WikiPolitenessLevel. Does anyone have any ideas?
WikiStroke is one new example of anthromorphism, being used as sensibly as one can hope for by someone as soppy and sentimental as KeithBraithwaite ;). In WhyNewAnalogiesForSoftware I argue (and would in NewAnalogiesForWiki?) for keeping hold of our sense of humor as we pick up any metaphor. The main purpose of metaphor may well be to make us laugh. --RichardDrake