Final frontier
You recently mentioned the Electronic Frontier Foundation's campaign to overturn some US software idea patents that may be legally invalid (Web watch, June 17).
While such campaigns can chip away at the problem of software idea patents, the European Union today has a real chance of solving the problem entirely. If the European parliament upholds its decision of last September (which rejected software patents), the EU will be free of them. Your readers in the EU can help bring this about by talking to their newly elected members of the European parliament.
See the Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure site for practical advice on how to convince them. We have done it once already, so we have a shot at doing it again.
Richard Stallman
Radio head
In your article about music download systems (Take your partner, June 17), you omitted to mention the obvious system (the one I use): Standard MP3 download sources (or make your own from broadcasts); Media - CD-R or CD-RW; MP3 CD players. All are widely available, inexpensive and standard, which means it is unlikely to become obsolete.
The free sources are not necessarily illegal - I make excellent quality MP3s from digital radio. The 1989 copyright act allows recordings for personal use to be made from broadcasts or performances.
Mark Taylor
Sheffield
Wherefore?
Tell me the old, old story: US $0.99 (54p); Europe €0.99 (66p); UK 79p. To pluralise Falstaff: "I am as poor as Jobs, my lord, but not so patient."
John Whysall
London
In the dollar
A recent letter argued the British were losing out by not being in the Euro, demonstrated by iTunes music costing 79p a song here, compared with 66p in France and Germany. By the same argument, it would be better to be in the dollar because in the US, iTunes songs are 99c (54p). Somehow, I don't think this is what your correspondent had in mind.
Dick Cave
Cambridge
Hear my voice
Richard Wray (A new century calling, June 17) says that BT's first VoIP product is expected next month.
I beg to differ - I already have its first VoIP product, BT Broadband Voice, installed in my flat. Plug an ordinary phone into the converter box, plug the box into your broadband connection and "bingo" - instant VoIP.
Andy Drucker
A friendly face
I was fascinated to read about Telecare, the inhouse surveillance system that could allow older people to remain in their homes for longer by tracking household activity and raising the alarm if something suggests an individual is in danger or unwell (The walls have eyes, June 10).
Women's Royal Voluntary Service (WVRS) has more than 95,000 volunteers across England, Scotland and Wales helping people maintain independence and dignity in their own homes and communities, particularly in later life. I welcome technology's contribution towards this goal. However, it is important not to lose sight of the value of regular face-to- face contact with people.
A WRVS survey conducted earlier this year found that 72% of the older people we work with see two or fewer people each day and 8% see no one. The loneliness that can develop from lack of human contact leads to increased risk of health problems such as depression and a huge reduction in the quality of life for older people.
Technological advances must be employed with the complete needs of older people in mind. Savings should be channelled into schemes enabling increased human contact, such as Good Neighbours and social transport. My hope is that this technology will be seen as a real opportunity to improve quality of life for older people and not just another way to cut costs.
Mark Lever
Chief executive, WRVS
Virgin on ridiculous
Feedback attracts many gripes about BT's services. However, a recent experience with Virgin Net suggests that rivals are just as bad.
I use BT broadband and have used Virgin Net for nearly seven years, as a backup dial-up connection. Last month, I decided to switch from BT to Virgin broadband. I received an email confirming the order, followed by an email telling me that for technical reasons, I was "currently unable to receive broadband". It added: "We have received the following information from BT: there are incompatible rented products on the line." I could not understand this - I placed the order through the internet on broadband - and emailed Virgin asking them to explain.
Despite four emails to Virgin's broadband support team, I have not received a reply. I have now given up switching to Virgin broadband. If they're this bad when you're trying to give them hundreds of pounds a year, what hope would you have of getting technical support?
Rob Skinner
Chalfont St Giles
