Should we let foreigners in as members?

[GoktimusPrime]

It's not _foreigners_ that bothers me - it's the loss of an Australian focus.

hence why I said "Australasian relevance" - foreigners are more than welcome to participate here if they have some appreciation/understanding for Australian Transfandom.

"this is probably why, AUS, and probably NZL if not others, doesn't get noticed by Hasbro"

*cough.cough* erm... yeah, it's more than that, but that's not something I'm going to discuss on a public forum.

[G1Optimal]

hence why I said "Australasian relevance" - foreigners are more than welcome to participate here if they have some appreciation/understanding for Australian Transfandom.


*cough.cough* erm... yeah, it's more than that, but that's not something I'm going to discuss on a public forum.

[Saintly]

just a thought... if we do let foreigners in, we could potentially be opening the flood gates (ie. no admin to moderate in the weeee hours of the morning).

so I say we keep it local or australasian relevance to keep us unique and "not just another TF board"

[GoktimusPrime]

If non-Australasian fans want to join, they could simply be asked "Why do you wish to join a predominantly Australian Transformers community?" - and their application can be judged on an individual basis based on their answer.

[griffin]

If non-Australasian fans want to join, they could simply be asked "Why do you wish to join a predominantly Australian Transformers community?" - and their application can be judged on an individual basis based on their answer.

This was the reply I got from the recent applicant:

I should have just said YES that I live in Australia or New Zealand
then. I do in fact though help several fans from New Zealand and 1 or
two from australia import items from the US many times throughout the
year.

I don't think he is a toy dealer though, so could be beneficial to AUS fans who need a non-scalper source for toy *trading* (we may not have much stuff here, but occasionally, like Alt Rodimus, we get some stuff they might want) A small number of Americans who are real fans and not toy dealers, would be a good source to offload those toys to, and maybe even be a reliable source for stuff we don't get here, closer to US retail than a toy dealer. Also, it would be good to get some foriegn perspective on issues, instead of just guessing with how fans overseas are seeing things.
What about we have a trial to see if any of the opinions posted happen? I would have to agree with those who think that it would be unlikely that we would be flooded with interest from non-local fans, so allowing in fans who have a reason to want to interact here, and have a stricter adherence to the rules, shouldn't see any change to the local feel to this place.
- The registration page would continue to say that this board is just for fans in the Australasian region of the world.
- Applicants outside of this region who still register would be asked if they are aware of the regional focus of this board, and why they would want to interact here, because unused registrations can be deleted if inactive over a period of time.
- The Applicant mustn't be a toy dealer, who aims to be merely trying to bring in customers to their store.
- Less leniency with the rules and behaviour.
- No foreign topics or discussion that do not relate to us, or wasn't started by a local fan.
- Removal of Applicant if they are inactive for more than a month (if there is little interest in interacting here on *our* issues, then this community wasn't what they wanted anyway).
- If by chance a noticeable number of foreigners start joining up because one has told the others about getting in, I would go back to denying access, and the trial would be over.

If this one applicant (if they still want to join) becomes an asset to our community, and the focus here remains Australasian, making these types of contacts will be useful, especially if anyone goes overseas (like with the example of Taiga, who was actually here, but the links were made that remain today).

I'll probably go with the limited access/exposure trial, because I am one who is most likely to run into these people while in America, and it is always good to have contacts beforehand in places you are going to, plus it also proves we are a friendly bunch by not being overly xenophobic. A small number gives us openness to the global fandom, while still protecting our own 'cultural' identity us fans in Australia and New Zealand have built up over these past 11 years. The restriction on numbers is the compromise to those of us who feel that the appeal here has been because it has an Australasian focus.
Hopefully it is a compromise that people can be okay with.

[Soundwarp]

But dude, if i want a yanks opinion i'll post at TFW.......
Just IMO i don't like it but you are the man.

Oh and i don't count NZ as foreign, if they can get the doll here then they need t oaccept that they are the 8th state :P

[springah]

Lame. Saintly's point about mods at night is the only real reason not to let this dude join.

As Griff said, contacts overseas is a good thing.

[Paulbot]

Griffin, I think your compromise is fine and a trial would be useful.

There no need to be too concerned about what happens in the early hours as I log in early during the day, and there's nothing to stop any local member run(ning )amuck overnight and we'd deal with them all the same.

[jaydisc]

But dude, if i want a yanks opinion i'll post at TFW.......

Sorry buddy, but you're gonna get yank opinions here anyway

Many American fans are very hostile and abusive to other members, you only have to read the US forums a little bit to find that.

What a short-sighted generalization. I think what you're talking about is the result of the economics of scale, not the logistics of nationality.

[TheDirtyDigger]

I like pie!