test please delete

[voodooflux]

As the computer in 'Portal' sings - still alive!

Actually, I'm pretty much sorted now: hale, hearty and full chargeable! Timesheets set to stun.

Yourself?

I see a lot of new names on the board. It will be interesting to see who turned contractor by force rather than choice, with the apparent downturn etc etc.

Good to hear you're back and billable

I'm good ta, actually had some w*rk to do this morning which made a pleasant change. It's not something I want to encourage though.

[voodooflux]

anyone got any views/comments on IE8 on here?

The pre-release version on Windows 7 is quite flakey IMHO, but I'm finding the full release version on Vista and XP to be fine - although I do have to make use of the "compatibility mode" from time-to-time, but that's probably to be expected.

[voodooflux]

Indeed...

The Lustee is in today...

Did you remember the tub of double cream?

[DaveB]

And make sure you have your list of questions ready

[NickFitz]

We all had to gather in the centre of the office for a department meeting (they called it a "team" meeting, but as far as I'm concerned, if there's fifty-plus people it's a department, not a team)

After lots of boring PowerPoint stuff about results of consultation and career development and so forth, the main man took questions, starting with written questions previously submitted.

There were about a dozen of these. No less than three were phrased roughly along the lines of "Why the fsck are there so many bloody contractors in here, costing us a fortune?"

It's nice to feel wanted

[Zorba]

NickFitz - it never changes does it? Yes, people see contractors as 'someone doing the same job as me for more money' but they never see the risk. It doesn't help that you get Computer Weekly whining on that 'businesses want more permies but can't afford to sack the contractors'.

Boo-frickin-hoo. We were all permy once (maybe) and it's a choice that comes with it's own stresses and worries. It's funny how easy it becomes to see certain permies as deadlegs, after a while. I always intended to keep an unbiased perspective given that I might well change back to permy one day, but I've come to learn that permy or contractor, a good worker is a good worker and a deadleg is a deadleg - except it's easier for deadlegs to hide in Permyland.

2p!

Z

[NickFitz]

NickFitz - it never changes does it? Yes, people see contractors as 'someone doing the same job as me for more money' but they never see the risk. It doesn't help that you get Computer Weekly whining on that 'businesses want more permies but can't afford to sack the contractors'.

Boo-frickin-hoo. We were all permy once (maybe) and it's a choice that comes with it's own stresses and worries. It's funny how easy it becomes to see certain permies as deadlegs, after a while. I always intended to keep an unbiased perspective given that I might well change back to permy one day, but I've come to learn that permy or contractor, a good worker is a good worker and a deadleg is a deadleg - except it's easier for deadlegs to hide in Permyland.

2p!

Z

Indeed

The main man did a reasonable job of pointing out that it wouldn't make much sense, nor be very good for morale, if they took people on as permies, then made them redundant a year later, then a few months later began hiring again when a new project started

But given that one of the questions was "Can we have these meeetings more frequently"...

[Bunk]

I worked with some permies once who were always complaining about us 'bloody contractors' getting paid too much, swanning around like we owned the place and going off on holiday whenever we felt like it. I kept telling them "if you want to do the same then quit and go contracting yourself". They never did, however they all got laid off when the company went under and I pointed out that this was the kick up the backside they needed. They all agreed wholeheartedly but now, 6 months later, they're all permies again complaining about 'bloody contractors'.

[voodooflux]

Tuna and mayonnaise with a hint of lemon on white bread. Om nom nom.

[cailin maith]

Bloody hell - there are some proper knobs in this world.... what is it with people? Opinionated to the point of obnoxiousness