The following is an archive of previous articles. Versatile to Acquire Perfect Order-Versatile's Revenue to Quadruple PeopleSupport Inc., a provider of offshore call center services in the Philippines backed by some of California's leading venture capital firms and technology companies, announced plans for an $86.3 million initial public offering. Martin Wolf, president of information technology mergers-and-acquisitions advisory firm Martin Wolf Securities, said he wasn't surprised an outsourcing firm was going public. Web services specializations will begin to disappear in 2004 as the larger development companies swallow up the smaller fries, according to merger and acquisitions adviser Martin Wolf Securities LLC. "We think there will be less than a handful [of specialist firms remaining]," said founder and president Martin Wolf. The debate about offshore outsourcing is getting hot in the run-up to the November elections. At least one presidential candidate wants to penalize those shipping jobs overseas. A business-lobbying group says outsourcing will save U.S. industries. It's tough to say what was more surprising: that Micro Warehouse, one of the industry's largest and oldest computer catalogers, was selling the North American portion of its business to $4.3 billion rival CDW, or that CDW was able to snap up the business, which has annual sales of roughly $940 million, for a mere $22 million. Craig Conway kicked it off in June, announcing PeopleSoft Inc. would pay $1.8 billion for rival software maker J.D. Edwards. Larry Ellison quickened the pace a week later with his multibillion-dollar surprise takeover attempt of PeopleSoft Inc. Now the urge to merge seems to be making a comeback throughout Silicon Valley as technology heavyweights with plenty of cash position themselves for an economic rebound, picking off smaller software companies to expand into new markets and new technologies. Software consolidation is on. Again. This summer has seen a resurgence of M&A activity throughout the software industry: Geac and Comshare. PeopleSoft and J.D. Edwards. Novell and Ximian. Business Objects and Crystal Decisions. Hyperion and Brio. While those deals may not constitute a tidal wave, activity is swelling. Marking a deeper push into Europe, financial services technology provider SunGard Data Systems Inc. agreed Thursday, July 10, to acquire Sherwood International plc for $105 million. The definition of a consultant, the well-worn joke goes, is some guy between jobs. The thinking should follow, then, that the best definition of a consultancy would be some company between owners. U.S. technology companies have been actively seeking opportunities overseas. Martin Wolf, president of Martin Wolf Securities, said that slow growth in the U.S. is driving companies to seek business abroad.