Re: Brainstorm: Developers should get karma based on the relevance of their software
 

Yep, I had that problem too. Either we're all dead blind, not seeing the forest from the trees or it's really missing. Considering this is a recurring thing, I filed a bug, hopefully it'll make this clearer...

Re: Brainstorm: Developers should get karma based on the relevance of their software
 

Look, this is another one of those fuzzy things that tends to get pulled into polar corners. It shouldn't be.

In principle Quim's point is highly valid, and I doubt there would be much disagreement overall. The doubt and discomfort lie in the details.

The best mindset when approaching a fuzzy measuring challenge is to accept at the start that it will be imperfect, and you are looking for the least imperfect solution(s) without expending unreasonable effort.

To that extent we start by recognizing the obvious metrics, determining a useful algorithm and mitigating errors and unknowns.

One unknown is uninstalls. Ok, fair enough. But surely this unknown is mitigated by the fact that ratings tend to be applied after a download. And utlimately almost every app will be uninstalled, updated, reconfigured, etc so this is an acceptable, common risk not isolated to just a few apps but rather spread out over many.

Downloads are a very useful metric. So are ratings. But the point was made that a highly-rated app may have fewer downloads than one rated a bit lower. Fine-- then we weight them accordingly and/or introduce factors into the algorithm that accomodate this. Nothing new here; measurement systems encounter this all the time.

Statistics will tell you that reasonable perfection is attained at about 95% of your goal-- any further and you enter the realm of diminishing returns.

Anyway I think this is achievable... but maybe it does require more thought experiments...

Re: Brainstorm: Developers should get karma based on the relevance of their software
 

I added a solution (typo in title and formatting didn't work (do I need to put <p></p> or <br/> tags?), can't find option to edit, please fix):

Combination of ratings and distribution among developers but per version

This proposed solution is combining solutions #2 and #3 but factoring in versioning.

The aim is for better apps, so if the developers themselves tell end-users to rate their apps as well as provide feedback, ratings and comments becomes then help improve the apps.

When rating apps, it should be by version (major release only). A version 1.0 of an app can get 3 stars but on the next major version release, say 2.0, it can get 5 stars.

As for distribution of karma, it should be by version (major release only) too. Version 1.0 karma can have 3 developers sharing, but for version 2.0, there can be 5 developers sharing.

Re: Brainstorm: Developers should get karma based on the relevance of their software
 

I'm a good example of karma-looser :D
I slightly disagree with "version" metrics Reggie proposed above, cause, for example, in our OMWeather project versions are 0.xx all along just because they started like this from the beginning and they are basically for developer and in less part for user (just to check if you have the newest version).
Maybe we can count update rate?

Re: Brainstorm: Developers should get karma based on the relevance of their software
 

What does karma "do" for the developer or application?
Does it make Nokia support and maintain the application or will Nokia disregard these applications just like the ones they delivered with the device?

Re: Brainstorm: Developers should get karma based on the relevance of their software
 

I agree -- there should be a tag on the version if it's a major release, minor, bug fix, etc.. That way you can tag v0.0105 and v0.0209 as major releases if you want to.

Re: Brainstorm: Developers should get karma based on the relevance of their software
 

Well, basicaly, it's like "speciallist rating". You can ask a person with high karma something and you'll get your answer/help for sure. It's a community thing, not Nokia or IBM :)

Re: Brainstorm: Developers should get karma based on the relevance of their software
 

Reggie, that's a great start to providing useful context. Post-beta and mature releases should, IMO, enjoy additional karma... but are we dependent on an honor system here, or is versioning strictly enforced?

Re: Brainstorm: Developers should get karma based on the relevance of their software
 

It would be nice to avoid provocation... I don't see it as productive.

Re: Brainstorm: Developers should get karma based on the relevance of their software
 

Is that;

a) "If you don't have anything nice to say then don't say anything"

or

b) "It's a community as long as you agree and like it - if you don't shut up".

Just curious.