Ask Dr. G.

Technology changes too quickly and capriciously to expect anyone to stay current on all topics. It was just a few years ago multitiered system design was cutting edge. Now, we all are embroiled in Web services, and three tier sounds as old as VAX. So, the premise for this column is you send your tough questions to Dr. Gigabyte, and he will provide a meaningful response in time for the next executive committee meeting.A word of warning: Dr. G. responds to questions only. One e-mail Dr. G. received this month consisted of a single line of text with an embedded link. To wit: Hey, im jenny please check out my Webcam its free! (Dr. G. really did receive this e-mail.) Even ignoring the most obvious problems with the contraction, the capitalization, and the run-on sentence, this obviously is not a question. If Jenny would care to resubmit her e-mail in the form of a question, Dr. G. will take appropriate action.

Dear Dr. G.: Am I going crazy or what? We are two months into a 24-month contract with an IT shop that is doing all of our Web development in a Third World country. It took me two years to sell my CFO on this deal. Today, I picked up a technology magazine and saw a headline that said, Reverse Offshoring Latest Outsourcing Trend. What gives? Did I make a bad decision?