Dear silicon.com: Prison IT, iPhone wi-fi, and the clock ticking on XP...

First thing on readers' hit-lists this month was the government plan for prisoners to gain IT skills... then readers found a moment to engage in some iPhone debate before turning their attentions to the much talked about Windows XP/Vista debacle…

IT in prisons
Prisoners to gain IT skills

Good grief... well who better to trust with high value equipment installations than an ex-cat burglar?

And still no thought of all the IT people forced out of the industry because they are over 40…
-- Karen Challinor, UK

Incredible! We are constantly warned about the increasing numbers of high-tech crimes committed and here's our dear old government training convicted criminals to go and work in IT.
-- Radical Meldrew, Suburbs

While I think it's great to give prisoners something positive that might help them 'go straight' in the future, I can't help feeling short-changed that I get taxed with a 100 per cent (yes, that's one hundred percent - not a typo) taxation on any courses I pay for myself.
-- Simon, Cumbria

Editor's choice

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

♦ The McCue Interview: Martin Taylor, group CIO, LCH.Clearnet
♦ Legal Eye: Europe's copyright controversy
♦ Photos: Say hello to Intel's little helpers
♦ Photos: The solar powered speedster

iPhone again
iPhone: Beware the wi-fi security threat

Yeah, blame the iPhone not the other two billion wi-fi-enabled phones? Get a clue... if there is an inherent flaw it affects all wi-fi-enabled devices...
-- Anonymous, US

Any wi-fi risk affects all devices. Phones are no more risky than laptops in this regard and probably less so.

The latest iPhone software allows corporates to remotely wipe all data from a lost or stolen iPhone so the iPhone could potentially be more secure than a laptop.
-- George, UK

Tick-tock for XP
Clock is ticking on Windows XP

I am off to an Apple Mac. How dare they impose on us what OS we can use? XP is perfectly fit for purpose and did not need to be withdrawn. Will the new Vista use even more and more storage space as new versions proliferate? Join me in the exodus to Apple Mac. Microsoft needs to learn another lesson as we all decamp.
-- Philip Thomas, Woking

I'd be interested to see the fall in the number of new PC sales after this date has passed. I can't believe they're being so draconian about Vista. If the people don't want it, then they're not going to buy it! When will they listen to their fleeing customers?
-- Matt H, Staffordshire

I lament the passing of XP, having recently bought a Vista equipped laptop, I wish Microsoft would listen to its customer base and merely continue to improve XP.
-- Nigel Cummings, Birmingham

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