[NTLUG:Discuss] OT: Fried

[Stephen Davidson]

Greetings.

Having dealt with the backend of the overseas outsourcing situation, I really have to chime in.

My next contract is to clean up the mess left by an overseas firm (I will call them Elbonians).

The were to develop the next generation flagship product for a now client.

Well, the GUI more or less matched, but the rest of the system was "missing".
Also, Source code for a layer of the project was also missing.
Delivered code did not work.

Consulting firm then tried to sell their own version of product (and due to laws in foreign country, this was ALLOWED!).

Result: Company's competitor (who did NOT outsource) put in the announced enhancements into there code, and got a leg up in the industry.

And client in question DID their background research.  This was a supposedly reputable firm.

Fortunately, client is an innovator.  So this time, with Local help (despite being from Canada, I AM an American Citizen, btw), we are going to 
release next generation software.  And by next generation, I literally mean next generation.  It will take the competition at least 3 years to catch 
up.  The overseas project?  I will salvage what I can, but it won't be alot.  Has a fair amount of pirated libraries, as well as obsolete and 
missing code.

But back to the point, what are the firms who are outsourcing their core products going to do when this happens to them?  On one side, be lots of 
work for me (and other locals)<grin> cleaning up the eventual mess.  On the other hand, it is going to be a REALLY Nasty mess to clean up<groan>.

Regards,
Steve

-- 
Java/J2EE Developer/Integrator
Co-Chair, Dallas/FortWorth J2EE Sig
214-724-7741