Aug 16, 2001 04:55 AM
2139 Views
Before I rate a review, or an opinion, as I prefer to call it, I naturally read it for the information it may contain. I am a very strong believer in that old saying, You learn something new every day That is what makes the world go around.
I believe that you should be able to get your opinion across with the minimum of words but never actually stick to my own dictum. I am opinionated, I am old enough to say that about myself with a strength in knowing that I have a lot to be opinionated about, I have lived a long time and, I try to learn something new every day.
A well written review should give both sides of the story as the reviewer sees it and not be slanted in a way to turn people off the product without a true belief that the product warrants such a review. It should be informative about the product with as much detail as is necessary to aid the person reading the review to form an opinion of their own as to whether they want to proceed further toward trying the product for themselves.
If the writer has fulfilled the above, necessary criteria then such a review would qualify, in my opinion, for a Highly recommended classification. I would not be too firm on the phraseology of the review or the spelling or grammar. In my comments I very often offer words of constructive criticism and advice about the form of a review and punctuation, grammar and spelling. I try my best not to offend but realise that I often must have done.
If the content is not there and if no real effort has been made to actually review the product/subject in depth I rate it lower, on a sliding scale and, if the reviewer is obviously not trying at all I do not rate it. This may be seen by some as wrong and I may, in the fullness of time reverse this practise as, if people are going to begin to appear to value my opinions and take notice of me I will rate NR on those that I really would not recommend.
I realise that many of my readers will be using English as possibly a second or third language and for that I truly admire them. I further admire them for writing in that language.
I think that a fact of the Raj is that the British gave, to the great sub-continent of India, a common language. It is a well-known fact that a person with a mother tongue of, for instance Malayalam cannot necessarily communicate with a person speaking Gujerati or Rajasthani for instance. Both of them can however communicate in English. As there are over 200 distinct dialectic divisions of language in the sub-continent it is important that everyone improves their English. If I can go a little way towards helping in that aim I am available.
