Lots of good feedback on the Contractor vs Consultant article I posted a couple days ago.
I think the important thing to realize is that as an independent you are what you make yourself. If you want to be someone that comes in and cranks out code, doesn’t give any opinions on things, and is a “body” then that’s what you’ll be. If on the other hand you want to be someone who expresses their opinions, and makes themselves someone that others come to for advice then you can do that as well. Whatever it is I think James Avery makes a good point, who cares if you’re called a “consultant” or a “contractor”, the labels don’t mean a thing. You are what you make yourself, regardless of what people try and label you as.