App Improvement Coalition

[griesmonkey]

Just like writing a senator or house of representatives. Can we combine to create a unified effort in app improvement? One app at a time... Rate it 1 * with reports to Microsoft for poor performance repeatedly until the app is finally updated? Squeaky wheel gets the grease mentality. If we can select our top 3 used apps and complain that they suck enough, we can get all the features and bugs fixed like iOS and Android have.

Just a thought... #dreaming

Mike

 

[gpobernardo]

Doesn't this exist already in the store, where users can leave "stars" and reviews for the apps they've downloaded?

 

[griesmonkey]

Yes but you can also send a report to Microsoft for poor performance. Too many ratings are above 2*'s for these apps. The idea is to keep rating, writing Microsoft, and complaining to the developer for a legit update.

 

[vsmh96]

What do you have on your list? I have facebook for now, such a badly made app. Did all that rating and reporting and emailing.

 

[griesmonkey]

I'm looking at Twitter and Facebook as top 2. After that I'm open to whatever.

 

[RumoredNow]

I'm looking at Twitter and Facebook as top 2. After that I'm open to whatever.

See... There's the problem. Your top 3 aren't going to be everybody's top 3. Those two don't even appear on my phone on purpose. (OK FB does after every reset, but I uninstall it straightaway.)

And my Top 3. You probably feel equally uncaring for.

You are putting the cart before the horse. You want everyone on this program and there is no consensus for what the targets are. You are just assuming your needs are universal.

 

[mary beth hale]

I couldn't care less about FB and twitter. Give me my bank, insurances and local retailers. Let it become a foregone conclusion that when they make apps for android and ios, windows is also included.

 

[griesmonkey]

Ok, you're right. They may not be "everyone's" top 3 but it does have to start somewhere. Twitter and Facebook are two of the most downloaded and used apps all across the board. Feel free to advocate for your apps as well. The point of it all is to compare the apps to the features on iOS and Android and rate accordingly. IF we don't voice we are missing tons of features used in the other two platforms, then they won't get fixed. We are in the minority, but need to voice louder than the majority. That's my point in the end...

If we compare WP apps to the others, I'm almost certain we would rate them all 2* or less. With that low of rating and constant voicing of improvement, they would have to put a little more effort in our platform. Assuming they cared of course...

 

[vsmh96]

Ill add twitter to the list too. Its ancient. Have you done the reporting and emailing and stuff too?

 

[griesmonkey]

Yes, I'm using the contact us, reporting, and anything else the app offers. Every app...

 

[RumoredNow]

You may want to look at how this initiative was organized: http://forums.windowscentral.com/windows-phone-8-1/331993-requested-app-week.html

 

[gpobernardo]

Yes, I'm using the contact us, reporting, and anything else the app offers. Every app...

I have the habit of contacting developers for apps I have installed in my phone, by email if possible (since Twitter's limitation in number of characters prevents me from being able to describe the issue completely). This is the first thing I do, not to criticize the developer but with the hopes that what I'll be saying would help the developer "develop" his or her app further.

If the developer doesn't respond within a week, then I'll probably leave some low rating, but still with a justification as to why the rating was such so that the developer may still know the reason. But if the developer responds to me in some inappropriate way (it has happened already), then I'll report to Microsoft under the correct category.

For apps that are fraudulent, misleading or have down right poor performance (such as apps that contain a mere collection of hyperlinks or apps that say they do something whereas they really don't), then a report is immediately necessary.


I'm not reporting every app that I have just because the same app in another platform is "better" - I'm not a programmer and I have no idea how easy or how difficult it is to even meet my own requirements for a "good" app. Luckily there are developers who offer BETA programs for their apps where critical users should participate for constructive comments and collaboration. But unfortunately not all developers are as generous (or as liberal with respect to available time) - who's to stop them from silently marking a persistent complainant's email address as spam?

It would be kind of interesting to see the list of apps grow in this thread, but whether Microsoft (or the relevant developer) sees it or not isn't guaranteed.