[Python-Dev] PyPI comments and ratings, *really*?

[Jesse Noller]

On Thu, Nov 12, 2009 at 1:54 PM, Guido van Rossum <guido at python.org> wrote:

>
> I would say that publishers disagree -- they seem to really like
> adding "social" stuff to their book announcement service. See e.g.
> Amazon (which combines all functions: announcement/promotion,
> ordering/download, review/comments/rate/popularity).
>
> I agree that creating a good social app is not easy, and if we can't
> improve the social app embedded in PyPI quickly enough, we should at
> least give authors the option to disable comments. Of course, as a
> user, I might not trust a module that has no reviews or ratings.
>
> --
> --Guido van Rossum (python.org/~guido)


I'd not trust a package without a bug tracker, mailing list or link to
the source a lot sooner than something without comments and ratings.
Especially with ratings like milk and wolf shirts get:

http://www.amazon.com/Tuscan-Whole-Milk-Gallon-128/dp/B00032G1S0/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&s=grocery&qid=1258053581&sr=1-13

http://www.amazon.com/Mountain-Mens-Short-Sleeve-Large/dp/B001VMZFPQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=apparel&qid=1258053663&sr=8-1

What about astroturfing? What's to stop me from writing a script to
create a pile of accounts and then bumping packages I like with
glowing ratings and reviews? Who is going to be the moderator, and how
to decide between spam, incorrect comment, etc?