Nishant S wrote: the moment they bid a typical US-hourly rate, their bid is seen as abominably high. Yeah, but what you're not seeing is that where-ever you are in the world, once you're not on location, a reasonable rate is seen as too high. As Tom said recently, there was a RAC project going the other day and the maximum bid equated to $20 a DAY. Eventually, all these companies will move from India to Romania, or where-ever the next wave comes from. Then, everyone in India will be hurting the way I am now. Nishant S wrote: So, for the same work, by the same person (me), he wasn't willing to pay even half what he paid me when I was in the US. Well, that's just plain wrong. Nishant S wrote: Now with stuff like VB.NET/BCL and Java/JDK, anyone can start coding in 1-2 weeks. So demand for employees has gone down. I can only hope that employers come to realise what they are getting at those low rates. As I said in my post above, no RAD tool will teach design skills. Some of the sites I've seen recently, I'd lose my job if I wrote them. Nishant S wrote: The only way out is for MS to stop making these form designers and other RAD tools I seriously think that what needs to happen is for employers to realise that no RAD tool can teach how to write a robust, well designed system. No matter what, the boom has happened, we're just increasingly being reduced to office workers. A few years ago, offshore work was very lucrative for me. Now, it's hardly worth it. Christian I have several lifelong friends that are New Yorkers but I have always gravitated toward the weirdo's. - Richard Stringer