For example: if you decide to pursue a transfer to (say) NET, what are the barriers to outsourcing of your job to Mumbai? You don't want to spend your weekends learning a new tool only to watch the opportunities transferred away from you regardless. IME some of the people advocating a jump to NET seem reluctant to engage this issue and some become very angry if it is suggested that people may be jumping from the frying pan into the fire.

Angry? Nah, more like amused. ;)

Right now I'm involved on a side project that was initially outsourced overseas - and then outsourced a 2nd time BACK to North America. It's not the first time I've had it happen, and not the first time I've heard it happening. Except for the very large companies, outsourcing has so many horror stories....

So, how about DBA skills, project management, scoping expertise, domain expertise? Do you have a special skill that Jordan Machine Co values for business rather than IT reasons?

Yes, good advice. Usually in an organization you'll have a few key people who are the business gurus - they're the ones who know how to ask the good questions, how to spot issues, etc. They just seem to have a much bigger set of eyes, and are always approached when a business issue arises, even if just for a temperature check. If a person falls into that category, he/she can often write their own ticket in that company (or industry).

And all debates aside about sprocs...for the project I'm on, the biggest plus for them was the ability for someone to write SQL code. Sure, it's not always the case, but often that adds value.

These days it's widely recognized that you can leverage your VFP skills into NET by focusing on some key data principles beyond which it's mostly syntax. Some VFP people are productive within days using ASP.NET.

"Widely recognized?"....and "beyond which it's mostly syntax?" Sorry, don't agree with these statements.