it is the first time

Don't you guys remember this is the same question I kept asking? I was so confused, and I have to say I still am confused, because native speakers don't seem to agree.

1) This is the first time I'm doing something.
2) This is the first time I've done something.

I remember GG told me that the first form is not really good, but it's not completely impossible either. Another native speaker told me that the first form is completely unnatural, and that if she ever came across something like "This is the first time I'm seeing this" she would think it came from a non-native speaker.... yet I've come across it more than once (George Bush used it too, I think), and another native speaker told me he would have no problem with form #1.
So, half native speakers think it is competely unnatural, and half think it's ok? I don't know. I might try posting this question where there are native speakers of a more "progressive" variety of English, and hear what they have to say.

Kooyeen:

This  seems to  be a tough one, as this other forum  agrees in general with GG that the 2nd should be used:

http://tinyurl.com/5eruy5

So there! 

Perhaps  the most clear answer is from Alan Jones:

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I had to think about this, and I'm still not absolutely sure about it. Still
(BrE):

1. Beforehand: "This will be the first time I've driven a Porsche". Or "This
is the first time I'll have driven a Porsche".

2. In the process: "This is the first time I've driven a Porsche"  (Any
version with -ing sounds wrong to me, though I can't say why.)

3. Immediately afterwards: "That was the first time I've driven a Porsche".

4. Later: "That was the first time I'd driven a Porsche". ("That was the
first time I drove a Porsche" would be suitable if I were
giving an account of my extensive experience of driving fast cars.)

You could certainly say "I'm doing this for the first time" and that would
be suitable whether you were about to start or were actually in the process.

Alan Jones

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