Sir, - I have become aware of a worrying new trend in children's toys. Microsoft has launched an interactive Barney doll which it claims connects to your VCR, your PC and your child. This purple furry fiend is frightening enough even without the backing of Mr Bill Gates, but what is truly scary is that this doll is being marketed partly on the basis that it teaches your child how to use a PC.
The reality is that it actually teaches the child the merits of Microsoft software before the age of five. Where will this all end? Bill Gates already supplies the operating system used on virtually every PC in the world and has had two lawsuits filed against him regarding the Microsoft Internet Explorer programme which he has used to dominate the Internet and the manner in which it is used. He has also bought 49 per cent of Apple Computers, his main competition.
We appear to be quite happy to live with one man controlling all our computers and it would seem that our kids are not going to be able to live without him. - Yours, etc., Joe Jordan,
The Coppins, Foxrock, Dublin 18.