User:Maquis53/Maquis Forces International

Maquis Forces International (MFI) is a Star Trek fan organization, based on the renegade Maquis faction seen on various episodes of The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and Voyager. It was the first "paperless" (strictly Internet-based) organization of its kind.

MFI's global presence began on November 19, 1995, as an alliance of Maquis clubs and individuals around the world who gather to promote the free exchange of ideas, information and friendship. Like their fictional counterparts on Star Trek who went renegade from Starfleet, most of MFI's original membership left other established fandom organizations in search of a "better banner to fly under". Being Maquis gives the members the freedom to act and play as they choose without an organization dictating how they run their chapters, eliminating the need for politics.

Aside from its "management" structure, Maquis Forces International worked to set itself apart from other Star Trek-based fan organizations by offering several innovations, including:


 * Online applications (1994, before going Intrnational)
 * Online chapter and member listings (1994)
 * Online reporting systems (1995)
 * Online (paperless) newsletters (1995)
 * The first (and still uncommon) strictly online "Maquis Academy" for studying Trek and Fandom based topics
 * Virtual Certificates of Completion and virtual Academy Ribbons (1998)
 * Multiple "list-serve" e-mail lists (1996)

MFI upgraded its web presence in 2005 to an MFIwiki format, which allows the members and chapters to create their own MFIwiki fan pages, as well as many opportunities for members to interact and contribute via the Internet.