Dear silicon.com... data guardians, not so "killer" mobile apps, Vista on sale…

What's got silicon.com readers reaching for their keyboards this week? Reader Comments of the Week showcases how our users are responding to the latest tech news and views on the site...

Data watchers
'Data guardians' keep a watch over HMRC

And will these people be accountable next time things go horribly wrong?
-- Malcolm Niven, Bristol

OK, 37 people is more than one person - but just how are 37 people going to monitor hundreds if not thousands of people if the HMRC does not have the technology to prevent people copying data on to CDs, or at least flag it up if somebody is attempting to do so?

Editor's choice

silicon.com editor Steve Ranger flags up his picks on the site this week...

♦ Cheat Sheet: BBC iPlayer
♦ Video: What will mobiles look like in five years?
♦ LinkedIn CEO on 'grown up' social networking
♦ Windows-based cash machines 'easily hacked'
♦ Photos: RFID bumblebees create a buzz

This is just a white wash job, tell the people we are doing something and hope people don't realise it's ineffective…
-- Guy Reynolds, Letchworth

So the HMRC is funding the training of these 'Guardians'. I disagree - the taxpayer is funding it!
-- Chris Goodman, Fareham

Not so "killer" apps
Poll: And the next killer app for mobiles is...

Internet on mobile - rubbish.

Screens are too small and surfing is too clumsy. You need a device the size of an iPhone to make it just usable.

From the list of options, music has been happening on mobiles for years, just took the manufacturers a while to cotton on and provide decent headphones. Slip in a SD card, and off you go.

The next killer app on mobile, to gain proper share, is sat-nav. Nokia has picked up on this and was showing a sat-nav phone - as shown in the Barcelona Photo Story.
-- Anonymous, Birmingham

Infrastructure just isn't up to internet-based work of any critical nature. Coverage, speed and reliability all diminish the experience. Perhaps another couple of years but I won't be holding my breath. Finally, those silly little screens just don't deliver enough information and the teeny-winy keyboards are a pain.
-- Anonymous, Devon

Perhaps the technology should be referred to as something other than a mobile phone. These devices have far more functionality than a phone, now.

Taking a leaf out of Sci Fi: how about the term Personal Communicator (PersCom)!
-- Anonymous, Norwich

Pin hackers
'Tamper-proof' chip and PIN terminals hacked

It doesn't bode well for the National Identity Card scheme.
-- Roger Huffadine, Worcester

"Requires specialist knowledge". Presumably the kind a fraudster would obtain by doing an electronics course then nicking a terminal and taking it apart - or being given one for a research project!
-- Ian Savell, UK

Simple: Ban all paperclips!

This simple anti-crime measure would protect us from anyone with "specialist knowledge."

Just to be sure, also ban wire... and laptops.
-- Richard, UK

Vista on sale
Microsoft slashes Windows Vista price tag

As the bloke in PC World told me - "Vista is the best operating system that Microsoft have ever produced." My response: "That doesn't really say much for Vista."

Having been exposed to Vista I have to say Windows 98 is still the best OS produced by MS - and now XP is sort of stable I can live with XP. All MS products of late remind me of cheesecake - sort of appealing on the top with a crumbly base.
-- Roger Huffadine, Worcester

That 'clink' sound you just heard was the penny dropping at Microsoft - people aren't prepared to pay the sort of money they are asking. I guess they are getting desperate to sell Vista now.
-- Simon, Cumbria

Shame it's Vista they are selling, don't suppose there's any chance of a price drop with the last few XP licenses before they run out is there?
-- Karen Challinor, UK

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