Abraham Lincoln and his generals relied on the telegraph to fight the Civil War. Lincoln's principles for "T-mail" make good rules for e-mail, writes Tom Wheeler.

Words are Important - When he used an electronic message Lincoln maximized its impact by using carefully chosen words. His August 1864 telegram to General Grant, "Hold on with a bull-dog grip, and chew and choke" could not have been more explicitly expressed. Emails, on the other hand, have tended to become the communications equivalent of casual Fridays, substituting comfort and ease for discipline and rigor. The impersonal context of an electronic message, devoid of body language and tone of voice, places an increased burden on the precision of words. As I write emails I am more aware that the manner in which I express myself must not only convey my thoughts, but also the nuances which would otherwise be communicated physically.

(Via Lifehacker)