currently use version numbering, activity, and ratings to help me choose. What about you

Additionally: Open Tickets in RT, and interface.

It's always a good sign if I know how to use the most important functions of a module after reading the first five to ten lines of the synopsis.

For example I looked into Data::Validate::Email, and the Synopsis is very convincing to me.

Other good signs are comparisons to other modules in the POD ("there are 15 other modules for exactly this job. This is why I wrote the 16th")

I can't give you advise on this particular decision, though.