The long read on “Facebook’s war on free will” (19 September) makes valid points about tech, engineers, cold-blooded corporations, manipulation, data mining and commodification etc. But there is a dangerous trend to synonymise the word “algorithm” with “everything potentially malign about digital technology”. An algorithm is merely a tool, a set of rules, a recipe or formula of the sort you might use to filter data or solve a mathematical problem.
John Carvill
Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire
• Peter Bradshaw rightly comments on the lack of female characters in David Lean’s Lawrence of Arabia (Lawrence of Arabia review, theguardian.com, 20 September). Yet female technicians made a significant contribution to the visual style, and sound, of the film: Phyllis Dalton (costume designer), Anne Coates (editor) and Beryl Mortimer, who as Foley artist, provided the sound of the camel’s hooves for Omar Sharif’s first appearance.
Dr Melanie Bell
Associate professor in film and media, University of Leeds
• Further round the meeting table (Letters, passim) we all know the great bustard at the head of the table.
Colin Macintosh
Aberfeldy, Perthshire
• I still wake up in sweats thinking I’m in a primary school staff meeting after being five years retired from the job. There were 30 of them a year. They don’t tell you that in teacher recruitment.
John Stringer
Chichester, West Sussex
• I’m sorry Yoko Ono doesn’t like the idea of John Lemon lemonade (Report, 20 September). Here in Somerset, Cheddar Ales produces a very fine Gorge Best bitter.
Peter Merry
Langport, Somerset
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