When I look for software, I like to try it out before I buy it. However, with the AppStore for the iPhone/iPod Touch, you can’t so you have to rely on reviews and the product description. Even for free apps, some people find reviews important. The review mechanism on the AppStore has a lot to be desired. For instance, anyone can post a review even if he/she hasn’t downloaded/purchased the app. This should change as it skews the reviews and can be misused, especially for paid applications. Second, there is no way for developers to respond to comments without posting a review with a star rating (and of course, who is going to give his own program anything less than a 5 star review?). Third, even posting a 5 star review, it looks like I only get one, so I can’t respond to reviews and point out why I shouldn’t get poor reviews. Apple should take some lessons from VersionTracker; while VT isn’t perfect, it is a lot better than the AppStore. Fourth, there is no way to post a review without giving it a star rating; so people that ask questions like “How do I get a GrandCentral account?” give it a 2 or 3 star review.
While the current review system works for music, it needs to seriously change to be usable for applications.
(On a side note, why do people post crappy reviews saying stupid things without reading the instructions or contacting support?)