Free software politely puts an end to offensive email

As every parent knows, sometimes it's not what is said that shreds the last, frazzled nerve -- it's the tone. The same goes for email. The message, "Going fishing for three days. Good luck, suckers" might mean the same as, "I'll be taking three vacation days starting Wednesday," but one version could get you fired.

For those of us who struggle with the finer points of anti-inflammatory email communication, Canadian-based software company, Lymbix recently introduced ToneCheck, free, online-software to help us check ourselves before we wreck ourselves (to paraphrase the wise words of Ice Cube). The email plug-in is currently available for use with Microsoft Outlook, and acts as a cross between an English teacher, a personalized anger management consultant, and spell check.

Matt Eldridge, CEO and Founder of Lymbix said he was inspired to create ToneCheck in 2008 after learning he had lost a potential client due to the unintended tone of an email. Eldridge believes his experience is not unique.

In fact, Lymbix points to studies that reveal email messages are interpreted incorrectly a whopping 50% of the time.