Feepness -
          Concentrate on other systems, except hit the high fertility
          planets in your system at the same time. An enemy could breed
          on a class M ten times faster than on an iceball.

  Lestat -
          Yes.

  Keskiolut -
          Because you are a beginner, take your own system first.

  Neue Regel -
          Depends on how close the neighboring systems are. I try to go
          for the neighboring systems first and get a shuttle to my own
          planets after I have sent out 2 or 3 s's to the other
          systems. If systems are very close (< 10K) it would probably
          be better to get those first shuttles to your own planets.
          Don't forget to build a telescope and check out your own
          planets. This can save you a lot of time by not having to go
          to every planet.

  Garfel -
          Both if possible. Colonize only the best planets of your own
          system, like those over 40% compatibility and go fast to the
          nearest systems!

  Cylons -
          Try to colonize your own system first, and establish a good
          population base and fleet. Throughout the beginning, you may
          talk confidentially to other players, or publicly to
          everyone. If you can get a crypt set up with another player,
          feel free to ask questions. Also, God is an experienced
          player who can give advice, but don't run to him before
          trying to figure it out on your own. Otherwise he'd be
          swamped. It's good to establish friendly relations with other
          players, and even better ones with races who are in a
          position to mess with you. Try to get on peoples' good side.
          Even if you are going to backstab them. :-)

  Thing -
          Do both. Use one ship to colonize the planets in your star.
          Use a telescope to save time by aiming it at the planets and
          seeing if you can live on them. Use your remaining ships to
          colonize the nearest stars to you.

  Muu -
          Generally, get as much population as possible. Cover your
          homeworld as soon as possible. And build Domes(Y's) on a few
          sectors to get their efficiency up(which affects resource
          production).

  Fnebish Legion -
          Use a telescope to check out the planets in your system if
          you have the tech to do it. Colonize those you are compatible
          with, but always send your first dozen or so ships out of
          system so they can get a head start on the race with the
          other players to arrive at and colonize unpopulated systems.
          If waiting to colonize your planets allows some other race to
          sneak in, odds are it will be quite easy for you to kick that
          player out since you will have the resources nearby to build
          the necessary ships to do it. This is a last resort of
          course, since you should always ally with your neighbors if
          at all possible.

  Microbians -
          Contrary to most of the advice I've been given, I usually
          colonize my home system first. It costs less in time, and
          after you colonize your home, you can use the same ships to
          arrive at other systems.

  Tribbles -
          BOTH! You start off colonizing your planet until you get
          enough tech to build speed 6-7 shuttles. Then use upgrade (cs
          into ship scope have resources on ship and use "upg speed
          7"). When you can do this then send some shuttles to other
          systems. When you can build explorers, do so and send them to
          other systems. An awesome race would have the ability to skip
          shuttles, go to explorers and thus explore out space the same
          time as it colonizes its home planets, but it's risky even
          for experienced players.

  NB -
          Colonize your own system quickly! Arriving in other systems
          early is fine if you can build some speed 9 shuttles to zip
          to the nearest stars, but hyperdrive will arrive before your
          slower shuttles reach places much further than a star or two
          away. If you're a 'morph, of course, you should be firing off
          pods from the very first updates!

  TheCulture -
          I'd say focus on the other systems. The primitive ship types
          (pod, shuttle) move slowly, so you have to be fast if you
          want to make it to the best spots before anyone else does.
          You'll always have time later to focus on your own system.

  Froos -
          Do your own first. Easier and faster and it'll give you
          additional supplies to conquer other systems with.

  Griffons -
          The latter, the more territory that you can gain early the
          more that you will not have to fight over later

  Pillarian -
          Again everything is relative.. But my answer would be YES!
          You should colonize your system first. You must at least
          devote your first inter- scope ship to the task.. then work
          out from there.. if you have close neighbors.. and they get
          to you first.. and you haven't colonized your system, you
          could be inviting disaster.

  Tao -
          I'd say it depends on what kind of planets you've got. If you
          have great planets in your own system (the telescope!), send
          the first ones there. Otherwise sort of divide your forces...

  Empire -
          IMHO, colonize your planets first before somebody else do
          it...

  Link Baker -
          Everybody should have their own strategy regarding this.

  Greenies -
          Usually the competition for other systems doesn't happen for
          a while. Definitely go for your own system first.

  Zurgithian -
          Both at the same time, pods are cheap in res so if you have a
          high metabolism you can send out lots and lots. After the
          first 10-20 updates you should have podded all the systems
          within 100000 dist of you, if you have the time !