The volatility and immaturity of the computer industry means that frequent and regular hirings and firings of staff as business improves or deteriorates are a way of life, and America’s clumsily-named trades union congress, the AF of L-CIO – oh all right, American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organisations – has ruefully had to face up to the fact that there’s no getting in the way of the free flow of markets: the Daily Telegraph notes that a new US employment law, which passed onto the statute book only on Thursday, and requires that employers give 60 days’ notice of redundancies or plant closures – most computer, peripheral and chip companies haven’t a clue whether conditions will be boom or bust in 60 days’ time – has already been bested by employers, who have resolved to include 60-day notices of redundancies in everyone’s pay packet, every week.