I've often recommended that companies outsource software development and maintenance tasks that are non-strategic. Companies are under terrific pressure to convert themselves to take advantage of the Internet and to respond to the e-commerce challenges they all face. Developing Internet-based enterprise e-commerce applications is very different than developing conventional applications.

As we cast a glance at the hoards of Internet start-ups filled with 26-year-olds queuing at the doors of venture capital firms, we might wonder if past experience has any value in these crazy times, especially if gained in the prehistoric days of computing (pre-Web). Perhaps, as in Logan's Run, we should all face the fact that at 30 we're past it, and enter "carousel" (the strange floating phenomena where all the "old" people get zapped).

In the first five articles in this series, I identified a maturity model for Internet technology adoption (below). This final article focuses on how companies can move from Level 4 to Level 5. This model parallels the SEI-CMM in that Level-5 organizations continue to develop, continue to measure where they are against industry leaders, and are ever vigilant in their search for new technologies, new methods, and new business models that offer competitive advantage.

In the 13 January Sourcing E-Mail Advisor, we made the point that companies need to plan for relationship management early in the transaction process, in order to facilitate a successful transition and set the tone for the first year. Once the transaction is concluded, it is essential to have the right relationship management leadership in place. What skills do such managers need to be successful?

Perhaps the most important thing we have learned from Y2000 is that we can successfully pull off a major project with a defined deadline and potentially catastrophic results for failure. However, in many cases, we did so by carefully defining a strategy that would provide success, and not biting off more than we could realistically chew.

On 14 February, it was announced that Computer Associates (CA) had agreed to acquire Sterling Software in a stock deal valued at $4 billion.

When your CEO calls for a 15% increase in revenues next year, does your senior vice president of sales call the IT organization to request help? What about the head of marketing if told to expand market share, or the head of operations if told to increase production? In far too many companies, probably not.

The Object Management Group (OMG) held its first Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) workshop in Orlando, Florida, last week. The emphasis was on discussing EAI issues, and the workshop was heavily attended by CTOs and senior technical people from Fortune 1000 companies.

We recently faced some challenges with a roofing project on our home, and these challenges provided me with some lessons I think can be applied to the multi-project world of IT.

The reality of sustainable competitive advantage through information technology will remain elusive to the majority of organizations. We all understand the fundamental reasons: as long as IT is freely available to all industry participants, they will pursue their optimal use of it, either as leaders or as followers. Any early advantages will eventually be competed away.

In last week's Advisor, I mentioned that the Chinese information agency is encouraging government agencies in China to use Red Flag Linux, rather than Microsoft Windows. I want to follow up with some more general comments on Linux this week.

Medical examiners don't do autopsies for the benefit of the deceased. Those procedures are for the benefit of the living, either for piece of mind in knowing what killed a friend or relative or for public safety in being able to identify a communicable disease or bring a killer to justice. By focusing on the living rather than the dead, postmortem examinations attempt to advance the standard of living for those left behind.

A number of IT alignment issues are related to the difficulties in hiring staff. Let's assume you're in "constant hiring" mode -- you continually get resumes, interview people, and decide on whether to hire various candidates. But are you asking questions that get you accurate answers about the candidates?

This Advisor will arrive right in the midst of Microsoft's introduction of Windows 2000 Professional. Microsoft's marketing machine will be going full tilt, and the media, which is always looking for an easy story, will be talking about it almost non-stop.