[sumo] [Meta-topic] Why SML?

[Doreen Simmons]

On 2007/06/03, at 8:02, John Racine wrote:

> When I asked these questions, I half-expected the diehard SML fans to 
> step
> up and say what makes it special and important.  Instead, the majority 
> of
> responses were about the format of the Sumo Forum.  (Apparently people 
> who
> don't like the forum format will not go to the Sumo Forum whether they 
> like
> sumo or not.)
>
In my case there is a very practical reason: to use Sumo Forum you have 
to be online (please correct me if I'm wrong). I have to deal with it 
in real time -- and very often, real time is something I don't have to 
spare, because I am mostly at work sneaking an occasional glance at my 
e-mail account. With the ML I can download it onto my own computer and 
keep it there until I can deal with interesting items at leisure. I am 
glad to know that with SF you can find out what new posts have been 
made (I didn't know that before), but I find invariably that each time 
I go to it, for one item that I was interested in, there are at least 
half-a-dozen additional comments  that seldom add anything, some 
know-nothing comments that I prefer not to answer, and I end up feeling 
that I have wasted ten minutes that I could ill spare. Someone listed 
all the advantages; but to me they are the exact opposite. Games? not 
interested. Results? I'm watching it live. Pictures? again, it's 
wonderful for the people who aren't here, but I can walk across the 
road and see asageiko.  Comments and commentaries? well yes, I really 
like some of these, but as long as I can get them on the ML, why should 
I spend a lot more time visiting the Forum online? I'm not hostile to 
it, as John G. suggested, and I have no problem with the many people 
who really like it and find it gives them what they want. But although 
I have been a member of SF for quite some time, it does not suit my 
working conditions or meet my requirements and I hardly ever visit.

And now, I really have to get on with my next column -- it's been a 
double-plus busy weekend and I am a teeny bit behind schedule. %--)