How about something like this. There are a number of applications written in perl that one can download for free and use. Yet there is no place where you can get kind of unbiased reviews of them. So I propose this:

A section of reviews on applications freeware, shareware, and commercial, written in, or with major components written in perl. Reviews should investigate several standard topics such as:

• Ease of Install
• Ease of Use for the end user
• Ease of Use for the adminstrator
• Documentation
• Support
• Ease of code modification, in apps that allow modification of code in their copyright.
• Comparisons to other simular applications

I realize that this would require a moderator for postings to a Reviews section, however, anyone who would go to the length to write a well written review of a application would be doing the perl community well. And if promoted correctly it may even become a type of Seal of Aproval in the perl community providing folks with a place to find well written informative reviews on various freeware, shareware, and commercial products.

The moderator in this case will be looking to make sure the review covers the appropriate topics, covers those topics with well thought out critical thinking. (ie. nothing like "this sucks cause i said so", but rather "this sucks for the following 10 reasons", or "this is a good app for the following 10 reasons"). The review can be good or bad but either way it must be well supported.

By having a moderator on this group, the practice of companies posting their own "sweetheart reviews" can be curbed. Another, thing that this adds to the perl community is a place where students, the ones in universities, can put actual real work. Rather than just writing papers for classes they will be writing real articals that get really published and really read and really used and really sited in the real world, which looks really good on a real resume, and makes it real easy to get a real job.

This also, because of the time and care that would have to go into writing a well written review, could be used to add bonus XPs for those who write publishable work. Because of the nature of it, I would be willing to wager that if only well screened reviews are allowed that this site would gain a fair amount of notice around the commercial software world as well and it could be an even more smashing edition to the resumes of those who work on this site, as well as providing a way for those who are interested in publishing a way to get some extra resume points on their resumes. I realize it does make more work for vroom and the others who work on this site, but I think the impact could be significant enough to warrent it.

little_mistress@mainhall.com