The Empire of The Shunned.

[psychocandy]

No, just you

Cos I've got the biggest willy

[SlipTheJab]

Surely someone here can write an app that detects said newbie questions and generates an automated NLUK post pointing out the stickies?

[b0redom]

What like this?

NorthernladUK Comment generator

[BrilloPad]

Cos I've got the biggest willy

You don't have the biggest dick. You are the biggest dick.

HTH

[SimonMac]

At a basic level there is a case for self preservation, a large number of people who come into contracting give us a bad name, we all know contractors who openly take the piss with HMRC, with agents and clients which reflects badly on all of us.

If someone cannot do the basics of searching the plethora of information on this site and others, how do you think they will cope with the basics of understanding tax returns and the principles of employee compared to freelancers

[WTFH]

If someone says they want to run a marathon, having never done any running before, is the correct thing to tell them how to run the last 365 yards, or what training they need to do to get in shape?

[NickFitz]

If someone says they want to run a marathon, having never done any running before, is the correct thing to tell them how to run the last 365 yards, or what training they need to do to get in shape?

But that's not what the OP was objecting to:

A trend that worries me, is repeated hostility to contractors who are just starting off.

We all know this happens on here. More so in General, granted, but then again, normal people's understanding of the term "General" is more likely to be "a place for general enquiries" than "an utter bearpit where people heap abuse and insults on strangers for no good reason". Given that the CUK definition is so wildly at variance with that of the rest of the English-speaking world, perhaps a little forbearance wouldn't come amiss?

[WTFH]

But that's not what the OP was objecting to:



We all know this happens on here. More so in General, granted, but then again, normal people's understanding of the term "General" is more likely to be "a place for general enquiries" than "an utter bearpit where people heap abuse and insults on strangers for no good reason". Given that the CUK definition is so wildly at variance with that of the rest of the English-speaking world, perhaps a little forbearance wouldn't come amiss?

Fair point, but I don't see lots of hostility, I do see lots of vague questions that try to get answered.

[northernladuk]

I'm probably the main protagonist in most peoples eyes so shouldn't really be posting in this thread but thought I'd mention a couple of things.

Hostility is different per person. A bit of solid factual feedback to one person is another persons hostility. It's a cold world on the internet and just because it doesn't have a smiley or a hug on the end doesn't mean it's harsh or hostile. Sometimes yes it crosses the line but sometimes it's the correct and required response. You can't just stand on your soap box and complain that every straight comment is unrequired hostility. IMO anyway.

Also go to any forum and ask an ill thought out and ill-researched question and you are likely to get a pretty sharp response. Go on Mumsnet and say you are going to have a baby what do I do and see how warm and cuddly the response is. Hell, even on the immigration forums someone asking basic questions gets told to politely f**k off and do some research. If you are going to be lazy you are going to get a response in kind. That's life, not hostility.

And, yes, SimonMac has a very good point. It's really starting to annoy me we are fighting HMRC for our future on one hand but feeding newbies the basics to tickbox themselves in to a higher paid job and they intend to do no more. Who wouldn't throw half the 'contractors' at their client to HMRC so they leave those that want to do it properly alone? I've been told I've got to deal with that and not bring it to the forums though which is fair enough.

Hostility in General I can't explain though, it's General.

Obviously my thoughts and obviously not shared by many but there you go.

[Pondlife]

WNLS

Plus the sockie masters and repeat offenders endless banal incarnations that have to get their post count up before they are let loose doing so in the professional forums just distracts from genuine newbies seeking advice.