What (is) a review?!

Deviating a bit from the usual stuff I write about in my blog, this one has a more technical context (not to say I'm technically savvy) to it. Of late, I have been trying to use open-source software to see how it fares in meeting my requirements. So, out of interest, I read quite a bit about Linux. I search the internet for the different available options (distributions).

So, a simple search on Google for "review+name of the linux distribution" reveals a lot of results. Sadly, more often than not, the so called reviews are just poor expressions of one's (author's) opinion. I often find them a waste of time, misleading & biased. For e.g. I've read a so called review of an operating system, where the reviewer wrote off the operating system because he/she didn't like the default colour scheme (theme), and refused to review it!!

We know that changing the colours or themes is just a matter of couple clicks on any operating system, but to say that I will not test drive a certain car, because I don't like its colour, is ridiculous. You test drive the car, then pick the colour you like if the car meets your requirements, don't you?

Reviews, must be written after understanding the concept, underlying philosophy, and how product or service works. Reviews should have the facts about a product or service presented in such a way, that the reader can draw his own conclusions or opinions. If the "reviewer" has any opinions, they can be put inside the "Conclusion" section.

A good example of a site that provides reviews is dpreview.com. They also came up a definition of a review (in the context of digital cameras). Check the wiki for "reviews", please pay special attention to "Consumer Review & Expert review"; please also pay special attention to "sufficient experience".

Coming back to the reviews found on the results of a Google search, how many of them have been written by people qualified to do so? Next time you think of writing a review please ask yourself how qualified you are to do so, post on discussion forums if you want to just voice your opinions. Most importantly, don't call your conclusion a review!!