Sharing Your Product Reviews to Help the Community of Windows Users
Published: November 4, 2004
By Jake Ludington, Windows XP Expert Zone Community Columnist
Do you like the software you’re using? Is it fun? Or frustrating? What about your hardware? That webcam you got for $10? Was it really a bargain? Or did you get what you paid for?
This fall, Microsoft launched the Windows Marketplace, a place for you to share opinions about technologies that you use with your Windows-based PC. The Web site includes 93,000 Windows-related products in 500 categories. You can write a review about any product, or read reviews by others who’ve tried it.
Why I Write Product Reviews
I write reviews of products for three reasons:
First, I'm highly opinionated and inclined to tell everyone when I like something or when I really hate something. I'm as passionate about great technology that makes my life better, as I am about sending out a public warning when something doesn't perform as advertised. My friends know to ask me what I like about new technology only if they can spare the next 15 minutes for a rant.
The second reason I write reviews is partly selfish. I love trying new technologies and occasionally forget that I've already seen something. So I write about it on the Web as my backup brain. When a friend suggests something new, I can quickly search to remind myself if I’ve tried it before, and what my opinion was the first time. Of course, opinions are only fun if you can share them. I started publishing my Digital Lifestyle newsletter, because I was finding cool audio and video-related Web sites and software that I wanted to share with others.
The third reason I review products is because I like to help people. Sharing information is one way to help. For example, you can buy one of several applications that claim to remove spyware. A number of free solutions also claim to remove spyware for free. How do you know which programs work? Reading about the experiences of other people can help you decide. Getting thank-you notes from readers makes it worth all the time I spend researching my own computing headaches.
I think many people write reviews because they are passionate about something. Often they are passionately angry, which is why reviews tend to skew toward the negative, but it's still passion. And negative reviews can still be useful information. Another thing that motivates people to write reviews is recognition. It's an ego boost knowing others read your opinions, and maybe even take your advice.
Where to Write Product Reviews
Microsoft created the Windows Marketplace for all of these reasons -- we can help each other find the best products, share our excitement or frustration, and even promote ourselves in this online community. When a major corporation like Microsoft recognizes the important role the community plays in helping customers decide what technology to buy, it’s a good thing. It's a strong indication that big technology companies are working a lot harder to gain our trust and approval.
Microsoft provided a solid foundation, now it's up to you to help build the community. A great place to start is by reviewing products you use.
How do you write a review?
1. | Locate a program or device that you use. |
2. | Click the Write a Review button found in the Reviews and Ratings section of the information pages. |
3. | Sign in using your .NET Passport. |
4. | Summarize the pros and cons of the technology. |
I found this page helpful for additional tips on writing reviews.
Another way to participate is by rating products and reviews.
Voting on reviews brings the useful reviews to the top, sending me too posts further down the list. Another way to add value to the review process is by rating products on a 5-star system.
How do you rate a product?
1. | Click on the star that represents your rating on a 1 to 5 scale. |
2. | Save your rating. |
And finally, you can simply add your comments or questions to the community fray.
The Windows Marketplace Discussion Groups provide a public forum for ongoing conversations about products you use with Windows. This is different than the discussion groups on the Windows XP Expert Zone Community site, which are focused on providing technical assistance with Windows XP. I personally got involved with the Windows Marketplace, working with the discussion group moderators, because it offers the opportunity to make a difference for people who don't know where to turn for help.
I’m looking forward to the success of this new community and hope to see your rants and raves on the Windows Marketplace site.
-Jake.
Jake Ludington is the author of the best selling Converting Vinyl LPs to CD, Easy Digital Home Movies, and numerous tutorials for Windows Media enthusiasts. His Digital Lifestyle newsletter has been an online staple for digital media enthusiasts since January 2001. Jake is a Windows Digital Media MVP and manages the Windows Marketplace discussion group moderators for WUGNET. He is a Digital Lifestyle reference guide for InformIT and has written articles for a number of well known publications including Lockergnome, Connected Home, and PC Today. Jake is producing the Chris Pirillo Radio Show which goes live in January 2005.
