Why does popular software on the software manager have a surprsingly low number of reviews?

[amrmarey]

Hello,

So I've started using Linux for the first time ever a few days ago and I'm loving it. However, I noticed on Linux Mint's Software Manager, popular software such as steam, skype, spotify, wine, etc have like 200 reviews at the very most. Ex. Steam only has 79 reviews, Skype has 22, Spotify has 70 reviews, WINE has 0 REVIEWS!!! These low numbers make me question the software I'm downloading. On any other software center like Google Play each of these programs would have a million downloads and 50k reviews. I know Linux Mint still isn't very popular worldwide. But can anyone explain why the numbers are that shockingly low?

[Pierre]

in order to submit any "Review" as such, you do have to Log-in to the http://community.linuxmint.com/ Web Site,
and then create such an "Review" - - this process is Not as simple, as it could be.
- - thus there is only a Few "Review" ever done.

[DAMIEN1307]

Considering that the software manager is a repository on a closed system for linux users accessed on a linux computer without a www. exposure etc. i agree with Pierre...it is not simple to just leave a simple review...old "fuddy duddies" like myself refuse to "leap through flaming hoops of fire", "jump hurdles", or be a circus "trained seal", etc. to leave reviews...if the ''guardians of the 'repository' galaxy" really wanted imput from users such as myself, they would make it a simple affair to do so...i find it like other feedback entities such as Amazon etc...if im already logged in to a service to purchase an item and they want me to actually give them feed back on the item purchased, than do not ask for additional identifying info from me for "tracking" "demographics" or other such nonsense etc. because im just not going to do it...reviews tend to be no more than personal opinion or preferences to begin with, and whats great for me, might be miserable for someone else...DAMIEN

[rene]

Although I also quite agree with the above two comments, a further thing I've noticed is that very often there's "this sucks!"-sorta one-star reviews by people that couldn't get the application to do what they wanted, even though often not as anything to do with the application itself but rather their system or understanding of it. Together with the normal effect of people being less inclined to leave feedback when things "just work" this seems to mean that the review system is just not very useful.

[Pjotr]

On any other software center like Google Play each of these programs would have a million downloads and 50k reviews.

50.000 reviews. Just how useful is such an amount of reviews?

I simply can't understand the mentality of the guy who's taking the time to write that 50.000th review. Why? What was he thinking?

[gm10]

in order to submit any "Review" as such, you do have to Log-in to the http://community.linuxmint.com/ Web Site,
and then create such an "Review" - - this process is Not as simple, as it could be.
- - thus there is only a Few "Review" ever done.

Pretty much. I don't have an account on the community website so I never submitted a single review. Also I'm not even using Software Manager, but that's besides the point.

On any other software center like Google Play each of these programs would have a million downloads and 50k reviews.

50.000 reviews. Just how useful is such an amount of reviews?

I simply can't understand the mentality of the guy who's taking the time to write that 50.000th review. Why? What was he thinking?

Reviews are very useful. It's just like democracy. You may think that your vote doesn't count because others surely already have voted, but that's the logical fallacy that lead to the political landscape we're currently looking at.

[Pjotr]

It's just like democracy. You may think that your vote doesn't cote because others surely already have voted, but that's the logical fallacy that lead to the political landscape we're currently looking at.

You have a point there.... For that reason I always vote, even in elections of institutions that I deeply abhor, such as the European Parliament. So I'll revise my statement: voting for the number of stars is always useful. But writing that 50.000th review as well....

[gm10]

So I'll revise my statement: voting for the number of stars is always useful. But writing that 50.000th review as well....

Are those separable though? As in, can you vote for a star without submitting a review?

Besides, typically in software reviews you get comments on changes in the latest version. Since software keeps evolving so do the reviews.

[Pjotr]

So I'll revise my statement: voting for the number of stars is always useful. But writing that 50.000th review as well....

Are those separable though? As in, can you vote for a star without submitting a review?

Besides, typically in software reviews you get comments on changes in the latest version. Since software keeps evolving so do the reviews.

We, sir, definitely need to fight a duel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOBTFfHJjV8

[gm10]

We, sir, definitely need to fight a duel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOBTFfHJjV8

Hah. Now give me back my rapier: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOBTFfH ... u.be&t=131

[HaveaMint]

basic-5-point-green-star-beveled.jpg (3.66 KiB) Viewed 969 times

[Hoser Rob]

I've never found the reviews at Mint Software Centre (or the Ubuntu equivalent) very useful. I think it's because the more experienced users stopped using it a long time ago. My favorite place for reviews is a site specific search of askubutnu.com (which ranks users).

[carum carvi]

Steam only has 79 reviews, Skype has 22, Spotify has 70 reviews, WINE has 0 REVIEWS!!! These low numbers make me question the software I'm downloading.

When I started using LinuxMint 2 years ago, I had exactly the same worries. Can I trust software in the Software Manager, which has so little reviews? If software isnt reviewed a lot, perhaps it isnt used a lot either? That's how I was/am thinking. And I still feel doubts using completely new software, when I dont know if it is used a lot and reviewed positively by many others.

I started asking questions on this forum about what is recommended Linux software instead of looking at the reviews given in the software manager and I found the advice given on this forum a better guide in choosing new software than the number of reviews in the Software Manager.

[AZgl1500]

in order to submit any "Review" as such, you do have to Log-in to the http://community.linuxmint.com/ Web Site,
and then create such an "Review" - - this process is Not as simple, as it could be.
- - thus there is only a Few "Review" ever done.

I looked at trying to write up a review, it is a major PITA, and I quit.

[Grateful4Linux]

Considering that the software manager is a repository on a closed system for linux users accessed on a linux computer without a www. exposure etc. i agree with Pierre...it is not simple to just leave a simple review...old "fuddy duddies" like myself refuse to "leap through flaming hoops of fire", "jump hurdles", or be a circus "trained seal", etc. to leave reviews...if the ''guardians of the 'repository' galaxy" really wanted imput from users such as myself, they would make it a simple affair to do so...i find it like other feedback entities such as Amazon etc...if im already logged in to a service to purchase an item and they want me to actually give them feed back on the item purchased, than do not ask for additional identifying info from me for "tracking" "demographics" or other such nonsense etc. because im just not going to do it...reviews tend to be no more than personal opinion or preferences to begin with, and whats great for me, might be miserable for someone else...DAMIEN

Same here. I was going to write several reviews for software, but I didn't want to sign up for yet another account.

[all41]

The important direction of this topic should be which popular software has a 'surprisingly' negative rnumber of reviews' (quotes were my own)