Join Date

Join Date called Registered on the profiles, marks the month/date/year of a registered account.

Status
There is much controversy with Join Dates, sometimes they can be looked upon with admiration or distaste. Because quite often in a heated debate or even a simply one, a User will look at ones join date to essentially assess the other Users' status on Gaia. That is if that User gave their opinion on a subject.

Positive
Gaians who have early join dates are called Oldbies and as early registered Gaians, they usually know a lot about how Gaia Online developed, and have knowledge to its early happenings. Though some Gaians have an early join date, some may not have actually stayed on Gaia during its early years, meaning they either had issues signing in or they didn't have any interest in staying until returning years later.

Though the average Oldbie has no authoritative power or special privileges, due to their join date they are often treated with respect, and their opinions taken more seriously than someone who's join date is more recent.

Negative
When there is criticism about Gaia Online, there are a number of Gaians who split into sides of agreeing and disagreeing with the subject or other posters. Thus bringing in a lot of opinions.

So when an Oldbies knowledge and loyalty is in a debate, other Gaians will look at an Oldbie as being elitist, pushy, or just worshiper of Gaia Online who won't change their ways.

The same can go in reverse when someone has a recent join date. They are usually treated harshly and their views on a subject is looked upon as if it didn't contribute to the subject.

Status: Continued
Quite often, someone with a recent registered date will feel the need to prove that they are from an early year. Having seen how join dates are taken in such a serious manner. Others will just remove their registered status from profile view.

Sometimes an Oldbie will even use a recent registered mule to either fit into a debate without notice or just to test people to see if a join date really mattered in the current debate.