I have done a lot of thinking about the Application Database http://appdb.codeweavers.com lately and how the rating system works. We currently have 848 Applications in there but only 58 with a 5 star rating which works out to less than 10% and thats the good news. The bad news is that of those 58 only 26 rate that without windows installed. After takeing a closer look, none of the apps I looked at actualy rated 5 star by my way of judging. Now maybe I'm overly critical but in my way of thinking If the app doesn't install in wine then it shouldn't get a 5. IMHO We need to set criteria that give us a better/less subjective way of measuring how well we are doing. So this is what I have come up with.
1. Installation (total possible 2) Installs in wine with fake windows 2 points Installs in wine with windows mounted 1 point Does not install in wine 0 points
2. Running & DLLS (total possible 2) Runs fine using all builtin dlls 2 points Runs fine using native dlls 1 point Does not run/crashes on startup 0 points
3 Running general (total possible 2) program does not crash ever 2 points Program crashes only after long use or rare aspect used 1 point program crashes on startup or doing common function 0 points
4. Screen Presentation/layout (total possible 2) App looks exactly like it should 2 points Small problems that do not affect working with app 1 point App is unusable because of display problems 0 points
5. Fonts (total possible 2) Fonts look exacty right 2 points Fonts not exactly right but acceptable 1 point Fonts unreadable or totaly wrong. 0 points
6. Mouse (total possible 2) Mouse behaves as expected 2 points Mouse behaves strange but can still use app 1 point Mouse behaves badly and is unusable 0 points
7. Keyboard (total possible 2) Keyboard reacts as expected. 2 points Some keys/key combinations dont work but most do. 1 point Keyboard locks up or unresposive 0 points
8. Files save/restore (total possible 2) Able to save and restore files without any problems 2 points Can save and restore files but have problems 1 points Cannot save or restore files 0 points
9. Sound (total possible 2) Not applicable Sound is correct 2 points sound is ok most of the time but has minor glichs 1 point Sound is garbled or missing 0 points
10.Joystick/gamepad (total possible 2) Not applicable joystick/gamepad works correctly 2 points joystick/gamepad have problems but mostly work 1 point joystick/gamepad unresponsive 0 points
11.Registy/rememberd state (total possible 2) Not applicable Program remembers key settings from one session to next 2 points Program remembers most settings but not all 1 point program does not remember most settings at all 0 points
12. Date tested. Verison of wine used
Each of the sections should have a comment field and a place to enter a url to a bug report if applicable
Applications could be scored based as a percentage. Applications that use all critera would need all 22 points to get a 100% rating. For other applications some of these criteria are not applicable and their score would use a lower base score.
Idealy we would be able to look at the AppDB and list all programs that have problems with any of the criteria
Probably the most usefull aspect of this is that it gives users and developers a real way of measuring how well wine really is doing and where problems that affect the most programs are.
I have cross posted this because I think this is important to both users and developers. Any comments, criticisims or helpfull suggestions welcome
Tony Lambregts