Should we let foreigners in as members?

[Bartrim]

What about a trial period for the applicants? Let them join but for the first 3 months they can be booted if the moderators see fit. Thats how my industry works. You get hired on a 3 month trial during which the management can say at anytime "Nah it's not working" and send you on your way. However once you pass that trial period you can't be fired unless you've had 3 warnings for the same offence.

Ideally I would like to keep this forum local, however I feel kinda bad not letting someone who has something worthy to contribute join based solely on the fact they are from overseas. Plus I feel the trial period is a good way to get rid of spammers or inactive users.

Just a thought...thats all. Now back to work before my boss catches me

[GoktimusPrime]

I think there needs to be a compelling reason, and that reason should be relevant to the Australasian preamble/theme of this board.

For example, if you're an Australian living overseas, or a non-Australian living in Australia, or if you formerly lived in Australia etc. In other words, you need to have some relevance to Australia/Australasia.

What about a trial period for the applicants? Let them join but for the first 3 months they can be booted if the moderators see fit. Thats how my industry works. You get hired on a 3 month trial during which the management can say at anytime "Nah it's not working" and send you on your way. However once you pass that trial period you can't be fired unless you've had 3 warnings for the same offence.

Yes, but at the same time employees also look for certain attributes amongst applicants when they're being screened before they even get into the probationary trial stage period - usually you need appropriate qualifications.

I say that "Australasian relevance" would be a required "qualification" for people applying to be members here.

For example, many of us would remember Tiger Convoy, a Japanese Transformer fan whom I met on a Japanese TF board (on Japanese boards he's known as 怪軍三等兵) who later decided to come live in Sydney for a year on a working holiday Visa. During that time he became an active member of the Australian Transformers (and animé/manga) fandom. He befriended several fans, attended numerous fan meets in Sydney and Melbourne, and also assisted with the OzFormers convention project. And although he's not a registered member of the OzFormers forum, he still privately liases with OzFormer members whom he met during his stay here. excelonzero visited him during his trip to Japan - so he still actively interacts with Australian fans.

I would support Tiger Convoy's registration on this board if he ever decided to do so because although he's not Australian, he has had a history of interaction with Australian fandom and continues to privately interact with Australian fans. In other words, he can demonstrate "Australasian relevance."

If people outside Australasia want to join, I say that they should present some case demonstrating Australasian relevance. If a person's case appears ambiguous, then confer with us (members/community) and we can collectively decide then - I imagine that in most cases it would be reasonably clear cut though.

Tiger Convoy at a Sydney fan meet (front row left)


Tiger Convoy at a Melbourne fan meet (back row centre)


Cover art for the OzFormers 2003 convention exclusive comic, as drawn by Tiger Convoy

[jaydisc]

I don't see why the burden of impressiveness should lie with them. If they get outta line, like anyone from anywhere, boot 'em.

Can you explain what negative aspects you think we/anyone might incur if they do join?

[Paulbot]

Well in Australia we buy toys from K-mart, Target, Big W and Toys R Us.

In America they buy toys from K-mart, Target, Wal-Mart and Toys R Us.

Wait, that's not very confusing at all... Um. Well American's do get to buy new Deluxes for $10. Boo!

And um, they are seldom going to come to our meetups?

[STL]

I disagree with this whole region snob thing. I think if you're joining here it's due in large part to it being local. It's not like we're going to get an influx of international fans signing up.

I have only two primary concerns about those joining:
1.) They aren't international-fan sellers using this as a way to get access to fandom
2.) We don't degenerate into posting like some of those American boards where foul mouths seem to fire off wherever they like.

Personally, I joined up here only partly b/c it was Australian. The primary reason was b/c it seemed like a nice community. I'd known about Ozformers for a while but hadn't bothered joining here or any other forum b/c I didn't care for joining a forum where there were snide and arrogant characters.

That's how I'd like to see it continue. I don't think a control mechanism on foreigners is necessary as it's not like we're going to bombarded. And if we are, okay but just as long as it's just to be part of the community.

[Paulbot]

I can't even spell xenofobia

[Zippo]

im against the idea of letting New Zealanders in for what i hope are obvious reasons

I'm very displeased with your statement.
As the only non Australian currently active on the forums, I know thats its quite hard for me to partake in some discussions -- ie, most but I still like to come in and read whats being found and then partake when I can.

Gok is right, us NZ'ers mostly hang out at TFNZ but we can't always just hang out there as its not always 'pumping'.


I think I know the American who wanted to join ..

[dirge]

If people want to go on a more international community, then there are plenty of international boards out there for them to join.

As Gok said, there are international board. The reason for this boards existance is an Australian focus.

If someone from (say) Canada has a specific reason for joining a forum with an Australian focus, ie they're looking to migrate, they're an expat or they lived here for a while and have a lot of friends within the Australian fandom, that's different to someone who just wants to join our board.

The person who is joining specifically because of the Australian focus has a case - because their inclusion wont dilute the local content.

I don't think we should say "lets allow 5%". What if that 5% are vocal troublemakers banned from international boards?

As for a vote, I'm happy to leave griffin to make the call. I don't know that calling public vote and having someone publicly voted against is the way to go

[GoktimusPrime]

It's not necessarily a matter of prejudice, but the fact that it is a different experience interacting with collectors from other regions because they do have a different outlook/perspective from Australasian fans and as a result interaction with non-Australasian fans is often an entirely different experience.

A person with some degree of "Australasian relevance" would be able to interact on this board that is currently exclusively populated by Australasian users.

Notice that I said "Australasian relevance" rather than just "Australasian." By "Australasian relevance," I mean that a person would need to demonstrate a good reason for why they would want to interact in an online Australasian community - demonstrate that they have some form of appreciation and understanding of Australasian Transfandom or willingness to develop an appreciation/understand of it. I mean, why else should you be allowed to join an online TF community, that has specifically outlined itself as being Australasian, if you didn't have or were willing to develop an appreciation/understanding of our regional fandom??

For example, I've participated in Japanese TF forums, even though I no longer live in Japan, I have an appreciation and understanding for Japanese Transfandom. I like to think that I have some appreciation and understanding for NZ Transfandom - and I've participated in TFNZ too. On the other hand, I have no real appreciation or understanding for Nordic Transfandom (apart from general understanding of overall European Transfandom) - so I would completely understand if I were disallowed from interacting on a Nordic Transformers forum such as the Nordic Transfans Association (NTFA).

And as I've said before, there are plenty of other Transformer fan boards out there which are exclusive in some manner (e.g.: region, language etc). Why can't we also have an Australasian-exclusive forum? How would it make us any more or less "xenophobic" compared to other regional or language exclusive boards?

Transformers New Zealand


TFClub (China)


Hong Kong TF


Secret Deep Space (Japan)

[Soundwarp]

They already do that on other international forums. OzFormers is meant to be an Australasian forum for Australasian fans, and I don't see any problem with keeping it that way.

There are plenty of other board communities which are regionally exclusive such as for Nordic fans, Dutch fans, Transformers New Zealand, Transformers Hong Kong etc. - most Japanese boards have a policy stating that users can only post in Japanese (posts in other languages are expressly disallowed).

If people want to go on a more international community, then there are plenty of international boards out there for them to join.

Ok people i hope your sitting down, I 100% agree with Gok!

What about if it is allowed, but it is recommended against or discouraged unless they really really want to?
And maybe have a maximum quota as well to make sure we keep the discussion local (like 5 or 10% non-local fans)?

What do you think, a quota system, or a vote on each applicant?

Mate i have to say no thanks, if i want to speak with foreigners then i'll post at another site.

As Gok said, there are international board. The reason for this boards existance is an Australian focus.

If someone from (say) Canada has a specific reason for joining a forum with an Australian focus, ie they're looking to migrate, they're an expat or they lived here for a while and have a lot of friends within the Australian fandom, that's different to someone who just wants to join our board.

The person who is joining specifically because of the Australian focus has a case - because their inclusion wont dilute the local content.

I don't think we should say "lets allow 5%". What if that 5% are vocal troublemakers banned from international boards?

As for a vote, I'm happy to leave griffin to make the call. I don't know that calling public vote and having someone publicly voted against is the way to go

Simply put if it opens up to the world then it will not have the appeal that it has for ME now.