Two more readers have won personal computers presented by Microsoft in the UN Year of Older Persons competition for people over 55 years of age. The competition is designed to get more older people involved in the use of information technology, whether they are still at work or whether they are retired.

While computers present a daunting prospect for many people, hundreds of older people in Ireland are actively using computers for work, to keep in touch with family and friends and for leisure activities. The Government has embarked on a number of pilot schemes to train pre-retirement people and people who have retired in the use of IT. These courses are running at several centres around the State and they will be offered in many more locations next year.

Connecting older people with IT is one of the priorities of the UN Year of Older Persons and this month, two more people will win the last two of the six personal computers offered by Microsoft.

The winners of the November competition are Colin Power, 58 Park Lawn, Clontarf, Dublin 3 and Shiela McSweeney, Ballyconnell, Co Sligo.

They will receive their £1,000 personal computers, together with the October and December winners, at a ceremony in Dublin early in 2000.

This week, we pose the December questions, which must be answered either on e-mail at momeara@irish-times.ie or by post to PC Competition, Box 6094, Dublin 2. Entrants must be over 55 years. The closing date for the December competition is December 21st. You also must complete the tie-breaker slogan, in not more than 10 words, at the end of this coupon. The names of the winners will be announced in Education and Living in January.

The three December questions are: 1. Name the new Microsoft world dictionary launched recently.

2. What are the four official Microsoft Office software colours?

3. What is the most recent version of Windows?