As you will hopefully be aware UFP has been around for 14 years. That’s no small achievement.

14 years ago the Euro became the sole currency in 12 European nations. Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia were all trying to join the European Union. The Department of Homeland Security was created in the US. United Airlines and Kmart Corp filed for bankruptcy protection. The Korean Republic and Japan hosted the World Cup. The best selling phone in the world had a 128 by 128 pixel screen and didn’t have a camera.

When you look at all that has happened in the world over the last 14 years you quickly see just how different the world was, almost nothing is the same as it was, the only constant has been change.

UFP has changed massively over the last 14 years, there has literally been too much change for anyone to ever realistically document which is a shame as that would be a pretty interesting document. Rather than discussing all that has changed for the 14th anniversary, I’ve decided to speak to some of the biggest drivers of change over those 14 years, the Presidents of UFP.

Before I go any further, a massive thank you to John Hathaway, LynxMukka and Dentari for all agreeing to take part in this interview and of course for their service to this incredible community of which we are all a part. I’d also like to admit that I feel a bit over my head here, interviewing each President is one thing but attempting to summarise three different interviews with three very different people which each filled a role as varied as theirs in a community that has changed so much over the years is no easy thing. Not only do I have to find a way of pulling it off but I have to do so in under two hours, no pressure then. What I need to do is think narrower, I find some common ground between these people, these leaders that helped or are helping to shape the experience of hundreds and thousands of people. I need to understand what the role was like for them.

Depressingly one of the things that both former Presidents (John Hathaway and LynxMukka) agree on is whether or not they would like to hold the position again if they could. “No I would not” replies LynxMukka, “No, not even if that were an option” says Hathaway.

“In being honest with myself, I know that that would not have been appropriate, then and now, for me or the UFP” says Hathaway. “I think with hindsight too, it was the best decision both for me personally in real life and probably for the UFP.” states LynxMukka “I think you need someone new every few years to provide their fresh perspective and their ideas. The UFP needs to constantly evolve and adapt to the changing environment of the internet, technology and how people interact online. No one can keep up for too long before either falling down tired or just simply falling behind into status quo.”

Well this isn’t the start I wanted, no turning back now though. Is the job really that bad that two of the men that together played a pivotal role in shaping over a decade of UFP wouldn’t want to return to the role? What is the worst thing about being President?

“From a personal stance, I would say for me it was the pressure I would place upon myself. Being a perfectionist is definitely more of a curse than a blessing, so it often doesn't bode well when mixed with high office and high self-expectations.” Hathaway responds, Dentari our current President likewise feels the pressure “The weight of responsibility. Having to make unpleasant or difficult choices on behalf of the community. Luckily this isn't something I have to do all that often. It’s particularly tough when the decisions you have to make will prove unpopular.” For LynxMukka it wasn't just hard choices “it sometimes felt like a lonely role. That might sound strange, but there were occasions where you might face a challenging situation, even with fellow colleagues and there was no one above you in the chain of command to help take care of it, no one else to advise.”

Whilst the top job might sound appealing there is of course the fact that ultimately you can be responsible or accountable for pretty much anything that goes wrong at any time. It’s a job that comes with many challenges.

Being President isn't so bad, you do get to attend lots of meetings and make decisions that could destroy everything.“I think the greatest challenges were probably when the UFP was at its smallest. Even though today the UFP is a complex machine, it's managed by a multitude of hard working and talented individuals, so you can trust that certain areas are covered without direct oversight. I didn't have that luxury the majority of the time back then, and when I did it was often short lived or in splutters, or in fact managed by people who turned out to be untrustworthy characters. So it became obvious very early on that I would have to be competent at the very least in every field. Which actually lead me into my hobby of computer graphics while designing the various websites and forums over the years... though I was glad to give up the little bit of coding skills I had acquired at the earliest opportunity, thank goodness for Sharpkiller, Jordan and an honourable mention to Cokoborg from the earliest days.” says Hathaway when asked about what he found the biggest challenges to be.

For Hathaway having to be a jack of all trades that could not only set a direction but had to get intimately involved in the execution with few others to rely on.

For LynxMukka the challenge was very different, by the time LynxMukka became President the number of volunteers wasn’t the issue it was mobilising them “The biggest challenge I had was maybe the continued effort of motivating people and setting a vision, elements of leadership I had never before faced. For those in real life jobs it's difficult enough, but to be online where you're never meeting face to face, while also being a voluntary organisation where no one gets paid - it only adds to the challenge.”

“I am ultimately responsible for the success or failure of almost every aspect of the community - it’s more pressure than you would expect.” Dentari asserts.

So, it’s a job that, after having it you don’t ever want to go anywhere near again that keeps you awake at night trying to set goals which will keep the UFP relevant in an ever changing world and then having to find out how you’re going to achieve those goals. There has got to be some good points? Right?

“At first I wanted to answer this with a 'there isn't a best thing about being President'.” Lynx declares before reflecting further “I think the position allows you to work with some great people, it allows you to be fair to members that may otherwise get overlooked and you get to inspire people. I can't say I was effective in this all of the time in my Presidency, there were periods of great stress, but it was a privilege to be in a position where you can interact with people in such a way.”

“The biggest perk I found by far is simply being able to have the farthest vision of the inner workings of the UFP. It allows you to see just how this amazing machine turns over and where it's path lies ahead. Of course along with this is the ability to shape that path and hope you've helped set the right course! In doing so, you get to meet and work with other very talented and passionate people bringing their own visions to the table.” says Hathaway “It's a very fulfilling job role.”

As for Dentari, the perks are clearer “Ruling with an iron fist and bringing fear to the hearts of lesser mortals.”

The President is coming! Look busy!Perhaps the job isn’t so terrible after all. So how does it feel to actually get the top job?

“The UFP was my passion and so I had an abundance of enthusiasm to do a great number of things” says Lynx. “Exciting and daunting is the honest answer. It was an exciting prospect to be put in charge, and to have the ability to take the community where I thought it needed to go.” continues Dentari with Hathaway finishing “Pretty daunting at first. Despite my becoming leader of the group, a number of people had already split off to form their own clans or leave entirely, so we were running a skeleton crew, at times lucky to break into double digits of active personnel.“

So there you have it, if anyone reading this ever becomes President you now know exactly how you will feel on that day, awesome, terrified or some mix of the two. Let’s not stop with imparting some top quality knowledge to prepare you for the role there though, let’s find out whether or not the role was as they expected it to be.


“I don't think I really had any specific notions if I'm honest.” answers Hathaway as I wish I hadn’t specified that I wanted complete honesty from my interviewees. Lynx and Dentari on the other hand knew exactly what they were getting into “On the whole yes, it presented the sort of challenges and rewards I imagined it would” “I had a good idea of what to expect when stepping into the role.“ they answer respectively.

These two clearly different answers do make sense though. For Hathaway, UFP was brand new, the only way things got defined was by you going out there and defining them, what LynxMukka and Dentari inherited was very different, a tried and tested structure that they had both already been a part of for some time.

Over the years UFP has become hugely successful, starting as a small gaming clan with only a handful of members and expanding to now serve hundreds of Star Trek fans not just through gaming but a diverse fan community. The Presidents helped shape that evolution but it couldn't have happened without the hard work and dedicate from other volunteers.

“The UFP is nothing without its members involvement. I was completely clear that if nothing else, I would ensure this could not be another dictatorship (the vast majority of clans being run this way at the time). The UFP from the moment I took over was going to be a platform, a place for others to come and develop their own creative outlets and enhance the general experience of being in the community. Without the instrumental efforts all the working volunteers here make to the UFP, we simply could not function or exist in the way we do today.” Declares Hathaway.

“To me, it's the most important thing about the community. Sometimes I don't think I thanked other volunteers enough when I was around. If we didn't have willing members that dedicate a few hours of their time in a week or month, the UFP would very quickly fall apart I suspect.” adds LynxMukka.

But what advice do they both have for those serving within the community as volunteers that want to do more, that want to progress that perhaps one day might even want to be in the role of President?

“Be honest with what you can achieve, be honest about why you want to achieve your aims, and simply be honest, with yourself and with others. You have to enjoy what you do, that's the most essential thing. Don't think about progressing, if you're the right person for the job, you will be noticed. And even when things don't go your way, keep calm and carry on™, if it's what you enjoy, if not, simply chart another course. While it may not be apparent looking up as you hope to progress, trust me, those at the top scouting for good people *will* notice this pattern of behaviour, I guarantee it - we were always chomping at the bit to find these types of people actually, and I doubt it's changed even today.” Hathaway advises, advice Lynx seems to agree with “Keep at it. Find what you enjoy while also showing you're capable of many different roles and skills. Writing great applications is one thing, but showing that you want to go 'beyond' your role to help further is really what's hoped for. If you're aiming for FEO one day then this is essential, there's less around being told what to do and more of 'No one's asked me but I have a great idea that's going to help change things, so I'm going to drive it'.”

Become an Officer! You might not die and you might just enjoy yourself!Ok, but what about those that don’t currently volunteer in the community, what advice would the two offer them? “Try your hand at something you think you'll enjoy. Take it slow, if it's not right, try something else. If you enjoy it, enjoy the people around you and feel a sense of pride and accomplishment when you log off, then you've found your spot. Whether you're the President of the UFP, or an event co-ordinator, if you enjoy your job you've got something to "Klingon" to.” Sage advice from Hathaway, completely undone by a single terrible pun, perhaps Lynx can salvage this one “I would say it can be so rewarding if you give it a chance. You can find yourself having a lot of fun, socialising more with other members than what is otherwise possible and it can actually be character building too. The experience I've gained while in the UFP has helped me with my real life job. What might look like a simple volunteering role can lead to so much more.”




Definitely sentiments that I, and I think other volunteers in the community, would echo. Maybe positions within the UFP require very little commitment in terms of time and the more volunteers we have the more we can spread out what needs to be done.

Since we’re on the subject of volunteers there is one question I simply can resist asking. “What FEO member did you most enjoy working with?”

“Christopher Halsey” responds the voice in my head. Hathaway, answers eloquently, detailing the importance of teamwork and the range of projects he had the opportunity to work with others on all the while managing to avoid mentioning any names whatsoever until he finally gives me what I am looking for “Sharpkiller... also Lynx and Neo” ok well not exactly what I was perhaps looking for, LynxMukka surely will nail this question though “Well I appreciate he wasn't the most popular with some here, but I worked with Mikester92 a great deal for a few years and we tended to get on very well.”

Goddammit! Well thanks a bunch guys. Interview over!

Would you ever want to be President of UFP? Either our community or the Alpha and Beta quadrant power from Star Trek lore? Post your comment and let us know!