Rox,

>>Whoa. Tell me Mike, how can static text that appears on a screen after being sent over a digital wire have a tone and make a sound?!?!

Whether Mike is correct or incorrect within the larger thread, I couldn't pass up your statement that the written word carries no tone. from:
http://wwwtafe.lib.rmit.edu.au/lsu/bwsc/tone.html (The first link I tried, for more try a search on "tone in writing" from your favorite search engine)

The tone of your writing indicates your attitude and your feelings towards the person you are writing to. When we speak, our tone is indicated by our voice, but when we write, our choice of words tells the reader how we feel. In business writing it is important to use a tone which is courteous and sincere.

To imply that writing has no tone, implies even more strongly that you don't know too much about writing. Having read your posts here, and at the wiki, I know this is not true, but any 1st year composition course goes into great detail on tone.

As for sound, words can ring with emotion, cry out to deaf ears, and can deafen the reader with trivialites. IMO the written word often makes more noise than the spoken, since the reader is more likely to "hear" the message *s.*

Just my .02, like I said, I have no opinion on the larger thread, just couldn't let this go by unchallenged. :)

Best,
Bill