The largest online community for Star Trek, TrekBBS has over 5,000 members and over 20 forums. While TrekBBS obviously caters to Trek and Sci-Fi fans, the general discussion forums are equally as enjoyable for those not interested in Star Trek. Many of the board’s members never visit the Trek-related forums.

Registering at TrekBBS is considerably more time-consuming than most other message boards. After submitting your information, you have to wait two days before your registration is ‘approved’ and you are permitted to post. I find this to be beneficial, however, as it discourages trolls and spammers who are generally impatient.

The forum is formatted like most message boards and handles the considerable traffic load just fine. Moving among the forums couldn’t be easier with access to every forum on every page. There are no unusual browser requirements.

You can discuss each of the Star Trek series in their own forums. There are also individual forums for other Trek related topics like video games, literature and art. Other forums accommodate discussion of unrelated TV shows and movies, as well as a miscellaneous forum.

There are also the lounges, a series of non-topic forums where access is granted by rank. The number of posts you have dictates which lounge you may visit. Discussions here are usually frivolous but occasionally interesting.

Then there’s the Neutral Zone, “a forum for serious debate.” Here you will find lively discussion of politics and other hot topics like religion and morality. While flaming and trolling are still prohibited, things often get heated in “TNZ,” certainly more so than the other TrekBBS forums. Provided you don’t take things too personally, the Neutral Zone is pretty entertaining. There are involved, intelligent discussions of issues of topics like the war in Iraq and gay marriage. Recent topics include thought-provoking discussions like the constitutionality of the Guantanamo Bay military tribunal. Others are simply inflammatory like “HIV/AIDS is a good thing.” You’ll also find debatable, yet lighthearted topics like “Draft the mob and send it to Iraq.”

Although TrekBBS is well-policed, it doesn’t feel like it. There are no profanity filters in place, but there is no excessive vulgarity. Most of the moderators do a fine job promoting a fun and relaxed atmosphere. The other 5,000 members are also friendly and intelligent people, usually very welcoming to newcomers.

One rare feature I have not seen on any other message board is a ‘Moderator Actions’ forum, where members can go and express their concerns or just complain about warnings they received or topics they don’t think should have been locked. It too has entertainment value and is sometimes as colorful as TNZ.

While TrekBBS is reasonably inviting to fresh members, it takes some time to learn and understand certain things with relation to the board and its members. I have been a member of TrekBBS for over three years and I have yet to appreciate all the personalities of the boards more infamous and amusing members and moderators. Such understanding is hardly necessary to participate, however.

Discussions on TrekBBS are most always relevant, insightful and civil. Whether people are talking about plot holes in the latest episode of Enterprise or the seating capacity aboard a Sovereign-class starship escape pod, those posting usually know what they are talking about, or at least do a good job faking it. If you wish to know in which episode U.S.S. Voyager’s warp core gets stolen or the advantages of national ID cards, you’re sure to get several people willing to give you an answer.

TrekBBS has been operational for about six years, and there’s little doubt it will still be around in another six. With hundreds of new threads each day, sufficient traffic is the least of this board’s worries. TrekBBS does what few message boards manage; a large, friendly community with more quality discussion than anyone with a life would know what to do with. Therein lies one of the only disadvantages of this community, however. It can be pretty hard to keep up with. With so many new threads daily, yours isn’t likely to remain on the first page for long, although it will probably get all the life it deserves.

If you are a Trek fan, membership at TrekBBS is simply necessity. Even if you have no interest in Sci-Fi, TrekBBS is an entertaining and civil place to discuss current events and sensitive topics like politics and religion, often forbidden on other message boards.

Related links:
TrekBBS - trekbbs.com