When ATMs were designed to swallow your card

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2016/may/03/when-atms-were-designed-to-swallow-your-card

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Reading the account of how James Goodfellow invented the first ATM (Money, 30 April) reminded me of my first National Westminster Group 24-hour cash card from the 1960s, which I still have. It is rather akin to the old computer-punched cards and when fed into the hole in the wall dispensed the princely sum of £10 after I had entered my 10-digit pin . But unlike today’s cards, the machine swallowed the card, which was then returned to me in the post for further use. The instruction leaflet accompanying the card proudly announced that “Cashcard holders can now use their cards at any of the dispensers (in London) listed overleaf” – all 13 of them.Mike RoweOffham, Kent

• In expressing his concern for the future of the BBC at the hands of this government (Report, 3 May), David Attenborough takes comfort from the fact that “They know that the BBC holds a very precious place in a large proportion of voters’ minds and they can’t play fast and loose with it”. You could say the same about the NHS, and look what the Tories are doing to that.Dr Bob BuryLeeds

• Another iTunes irritation (Force quit, G2, 28 April) is its insulting categorisation of every piece of music as a song. Has Apple never heard of a mazurka, raga, sonata or symphony?Richard SteinitzNew Mill, West Yorkshire

• It is unlikely that when the Queen reaches 100 anyone will send her a telegram (Letters, 3 May). The Post Office discontinued the service in 1982 and the Queen now sends cards to those who reach 100.David Bettoney Zeal Monachorum, Devon

• For some reason, talk of Mike Ashley rescuing BHS workers (Financial, 2 May) reminds me of Granny having Red Riding Hood to dinner. Paul MartinLondon

• While denigrating the tautologies in your M&S article (Letters, 2 May), David Sawyer talks of his developing a “nervous tic”. As opposed to a really confident one?Pete BibbySheffield

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