YOUR report (Business News, Thursday, May 23) of the demise of Apple Macintosh's Classic operating system (OS9) was, rather like reports of Mark Twain's death, an exaggeration.

Though those wishing to promote the "advantages" of the new OSX system may wish heartily to drape a pall over OS9, it is, in fact, alive and well and performing the sterling work that leaves it still streets ahead of every grubby pane of glass in Mr Gates' Windows.

So alive indeed that, despite the hype surrounding the launch and relaunch and updating of OSX, Apple still builds its new all-singing, all dancing, OSX iMac with OS9 installed!

And why is this? Well Apple gives lots of high-sounding reasons but the fact is, a great deal of the excellent, existing software around simply won't work with OSX.

And not a few of the software development companies have shown a marked reluctance to do anything about it.

The OS9 platform is good, sound and reliable, and does its job well. Which leads one to conclude that the launch of OSX was less to do with "blue sky thinking" and more to do with "muddy water dredging" - in other words, a cynical marketing ploy.

R A WRIGHT,

Droitwich,

Worcestershire.