Hi all,
I'm not licking my wounds here, but my most recent app, Power Mixer
Enhance, was given a rating of two out of five, with a total of one
rating, while no comments were offered. I guess I'm wondering how we
can encourage App Central members to rate apps, and yet have ratings
gain a meaningful significance to people who are considering whether or
not to use them. I know we can't force people to explain the reasons
for their personal ratings, but then is there really any value to having
ratings associated with apps when people can rate them on a whim without
having to take responsibility for assigning a rating which novice users
may assume has been assigned by those who hold authority of some kind.
I say this only because experience has taught me time and again how
easily people can be misled to believe that their welfare is being cared
for when this is actually not the case. It seems to me that the current
app rating system is a potential source of confusion at the very least,
and, at the worst, an instrument to mislead WE users. The screen reader
competition leaps to mind as I think about the possibility of malicious
behaviour hurting WE users, especially in the light of GW Micro's
partnership with Microsoft. I have seen nasty comments on the GWInfo
list, and I have taken exception with several posters who seem to be
attempting to strike at the Window-Eyes product by merely criticizing GW
Micro rather than offering support to the GW Micro user community. I
think we are well advised to remove as much confusion from the GW Micro
website as possible, wherever it is found, and these irresponsible app
ratings are a good case in point, since where there is no accountability
for our opinions there is no value to be found in expressing them.
Respectfully,
Rod
- Meaningless app ratings Rod Hutton
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