@ epage.

Knowing what you're installing is a basic requirement for any OS.
That begins with knowing if you actually need it in the first place.

Being able to quickly determine (via changelog) if an application is actually under continuous devel/improvement is one way of helping to decide if an application is going to provide a suitable solution to your needs......
The "how much of the changeleog do we show" bit, I agree, is a challenge, especially with devs who do a lot of updating to their packages........

Personally, it doesn't bother me that much. I only install what I need and usually do a bit of research beforehand.
In fact, with the exception of fMMS, Wireless hotspot and a few others,the N900 gives me pretty much everything I need out of the box. The rest of it is falls into "bonus stuff to have" and "entertainemnt value"