There are some companies on this website that have far exceeded the expectations that were had since companies were first started on this board. Some of the companies have well exceeded several major factions that have come and gone during the boards history. And most of these factions disappeared because the large base of members either became bored, quit the website or moved onto another faction, leaving behind the dedicated minority, who still wanted to continue the faction, but was otherwise stopped because that faction no longer passed the criteria.
Reading some of the posts in this thread, I think everyone has missed the point that [member="Alric Kuhn"] was trying to put forward. There are companies out there who well exceed some of the classified major factions on the site. I would say that the Arceneau Trade Company is larger, wealthier and more powerful than the Galactic Republic or Mandalorian Crusaders at this point. And that is because Alric and [member="Cira"] have continued to build the company over the past couple of years, rather than letting it fizzle out. The argument of quality over quantity comes to mind here.
I think it is unfair that an OOC rule, which bars these companies taking the necessary and realistic steps that they otherwise would have taken, as evidenced by canon corporations such as the Trade Federation (see Phantom Menace for visuals). Let us be clear that it is only an OOC rule that prevents a company being put on a map as the owner of a single star system. The arguments put forward as to why something like ATC cannot make the transition to faction status is a bad argument. The ATC is built off the backs of two, perhaps three or four writers, who were dedicated to building the company. Whereas factions, such as the Republic, were made off the backs of a 100+ people who contributed little as individuals before moving on. Factions are based on the recruitment of the many, whereas as companies are based on the quality of work. It is unfair that it would be a requirement of something like ATC to bring on board 5-10 new people into it's ranks before making the transition it wants to.
There is nothing wrong with a company, who has the substance to back itself, laying claim over a system. There is nothing preventing staff from adding that to the map. And there is nothing wrong with that planet being put up for invasion, if say another faction wishes to annex that world. Because that is what has happened in Star Wars in the past, and this website is based off Star Wars. It's all the argument that is needed, really.
In conclusion, there are companies in the position to takeover a planet. And an OOC rule preventing them from doing so is, in my opinion, outdated and needs amending. To placate to the crowd of people who have never put in the time or work to do something like this is also wrong. It undermines people who have been working on a single entity for years, in comparison to major factions who have an average lifespan of a couple of months, before it is retracted. A group of 10 or so people can decide, on a whim, to create a faction and join the map game, before that faction inevitably disappears because of drama, angst or boredom. But a dedicated couple of writers, who have spent years building something, can't lay claim to one single system? I don't buy that.
