M ROWLANDS, of Cookworthy Court, Kingsbridge, writes:

I was most interested to read your article Helping elderly connect on the web.

Well, a couple of years ago I was one of those elderly people attending tuition at the library on the mysterious workings of the computer and its even more mysterious language and, thanks to the skill and tolerance of my excellent tutor, I thought I was competent enough to risk venturing into this new – to me – world.

So, off I trot to PC World, which sold me a laptop which was what I wanted at the time. They looked nice and compact and user friendly. The store also sold me a wireless internet provider.

I then spent the next 18 months blaming myself for the intermittent reception, I even thought it was perhaps the laptop itself, as people I know with 'proper' computer's didn't seem to have this problem.

I'm not very tolerant with things not fit for purpose and at times when unable to connect or no signal appeared on my screen it was only the thought of the cost of a replacement window, not the love of my laptop that saved it from a flying death.

I have been told by several people, much to their apparent amusement, that I can't connect to the internet in mid afternoon because the youngsters leave school, get on their computers and take all the signal.

So here's my handy hint to those oldie newcomers like me. Unless you want to sit on the moors tapping out emails, don't go wireless. Most places you go these days have internet connection anyway.

I hope this saves a few from the anger and frustration I have suffered.