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Star Trek fans tend to be a vocal lot. Much like midnight on Mars tends to be chilly. And while there are a handful who deserve the reputation for being sorely in need of a life, there are also a large number of very bright and insightful people who know how to discuss science fiction, television drama, cinema, and the vision of Gene Roddenberry. There are also large numbers of nit-pickers, role-players, and those involved just for the fun of it all. Often, it's hard to tell just how serious some of these posters are. Is it really that crucial to the fate of the universe where a character was born? From some posts, you'd think so. Then there are those who are willing to tackle topics few would have once dreamt of. How about speculation on gay Klingons? A lively discussion, and only some participants have their tongues in their cheeks. Most of the discussion boards deal with speculation, minutia, or the perpetuation of the poster's assumed Trekish personas, but there are also some that turn the focus back on fandom itself and dare to ask just how important this all really is, and what is the appropriate level and type of feedback from the fans. The chat room is lively at any hour, with a number of moderated conversations scheduled and free-form chat at other times. Don't expect to have much serious conversation during non-moderated hours, though--the room is more likely to be predominated by conversations on whether or not fill-in-in-the-character-or-plot-of-your-choice sucks. - E.L.

subject matter: media

regional affiliation: North America, Europe

format: conferencing, chat

language: English, Klingon

cost: 19.95 per month for unlimited usage