Building an international gather

Comments: 12

Christopher C. Apr 5, 2006, 12:50pm EDT

Interesting question?

Kevin (''The SiteWizard'') V. Apr 5, 2006, 1:04pm EDT

From my experience, I wouldn't recommend that the gates to Gather be opened internationally right away. There are a host of problems that can accompany the volume, and nature, of traffic from around the world. I think that Gather is following a wise course in getting the system 'settled' first, and then perhaps expanding it's reach. Although, I'm sure we we will hear from Gather on this topic soon....

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Jim Bostick Apr 5, 2006, 1:14pm EDT

Technically anyone is welcome to join Gather. Providing a city and state is optional in the Gather registration process. Gather currently does have several international members on the site who have chosen to place their location in the city field and ignore the state. International members and US citizens living abroad are all welcome to join. We do have plans to add international membership options to the site in the future.

Jim Bostick - Gather User Experience Architect

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Shava Nerad Apr 5, 2006, 1:16pm EDT

Well, even if people might not be eligible for "Gather Points" and contests and such, that isn't why *I* am here. I'm here for community. They could at least let people register and show where they really are...

I mean, look at Hannah! She's...nowhere. You look at her "About" information, and she's off the map. Should folks not use gather if they're not in US borders? What if one of our troops in Iraq wanted to post -- would he post from his state-side base?

It just seems there has to be a way to do this so it might not be fair (like with the gather points) but at least it would be inclusive.

*heh* Did I just say that? :)

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0000-doublel-0000 Apr 5, 2006, 1:30pm EDT

I was curious about this as others have their city and country attached (like Carolyn Madden). I hope they do open up these features when they're able so it's all inclusive. I couldn't imagine a gather without people like Hannah, Carolyn and others that live outside of the U.S.

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Kevin (''The SiteWizard'') V. Apr 5, 2006, 4:06pm EDT

Hannah, as far as I know, you will only be able to use points in Canada at Tim Hortons....you don't have any of those up there, do you? Ha ha ha

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Donald H. Apr 6, 2006, 6:13pm EDT

Why wait? What problems? Opening the internattional gates would be way to increase the impact of Gather upon the 'Net as well as to increase our membership. I have ton of friends in such places as Russiam Ukraine, Estonia, Kazkahstan just to list few countries who all would be eager to join.

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Shava Nerad Apr 6, 2006, 9:59pm EDT

Well, and part of this is just the "Find Members" data -- Say I'm trying to find all the people in BC who write travel articles, or something. I can't find them because either they put nothing in location, or they put something in some nonstandard way in the city field. So even disregarding Hannah's situation, I wish I could find people out there who were from different places.

Like, wouldn't you want to know how many folks are on here who are posted in Iraq? That would be interesting to me.

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Diana Raabe Apr 7, 2006, 12:48pm EDT

I believe I've read entries from people who live outside of the United States, but it's true there's no way to do a non-U.S. search. It's a good point.

Glad to hear of the plans, Jim.

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Building an international gather

Comments: 12

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