SUMO MAILING LIST FAQ
Welcome to the Sumo Mailing List (SML) FAQ. This will, hopefully,
answer some of the more common questions asked on the list, as well as
provide a few resources for the Sumo aficionado.
If there are any questions regarding this FAQ or the mailing list, please email: ard@pergamentum.com
General Questions
- Q: What is the SML?
- A: It is an email list where fans and supporters of the martial art of Sumo can discuss and learn about the culture, history, and sport of Sumo.
- Q: Do I need to know Japanese to participate on the list?
- A: No. The language for this list is English.
- Q: Ok, so why are there so many Japanese words popping up all over the place?
- A: Sumo is inherently Japanese, so it follows that the language of Sumo would be, too. However, there are a number of places online where you can find definitions for any words you don’t understand. See the Resources section below.
- Q: How do I subscribe to the list?
-
A: (1) You can subscribe by going to the list website. (See Resources section.)
(2) You can send an email to sumo-request@webtrek.com with a subject of “subscribe” (without the quotes). You can also send a message to the same address with a subject of “help” to get a complete list of commands you can use.
- Q: What are the rules for posting on the list?
-
A: There aren’t any “written in stone” rules. However, there are some generally accepted conventions:
- Use plain text when possible; HTML messages are allowed, but plain text is preferred.
- If posting about online virtual sumo games, prepend “[Games]” to your message subject. See Resources.
- During tournaments, prepend “[Spoiler]” to posts containing results or hints of results.
- If selling something, prepend “[Sales]” to your subject.
- Trim extraneous lines from quoted messages—especially signatures, list info lines, etc. Top-posting is preferred.
- Avoid “me too” messages unless you contribute more content—especially avoid one-liners followed by pages of quotes.
- Read posts in a mindset of good faith and good vibes—it’s all about fun!
- Q: Is there an archive of this list?
- A: Yes—archives from 1994 to 2005 are on Banzuke.com; newer ones are hosted on WebTrek. See Resources.
- Q: Can I search the list archives?
- A: Yes—the WebTrek-hosted archives are searchable via a form. Banzuke archives are not yet searchable. (See Resources.)
- Q: Can I send attachments through the list?
- A: No—attachments are not permitted to reduce traffic and prevent virus spread.
- Q: Why are replies automatically sent to the list instead of to the person I'm replying to?
- A: It was surveyed and preferred by members, so this is the list setting. See Resources for more.
Resources