Jeff Johnson criticizes Apple's App Store rating system, arguing it's a flawed clone of the iTunes Music Store model ill-suited for software.

Originally designed for 99-cent songs, the system fails to account for the diverse pricing, in-app purchases, and support needs of apps. Unlike music, apps require technical support and have complex features, making subjective, amateur reviews unreliable. Johnson highlights how users, unqualified to review software, often post irrelevant or nitpicky one-star ratings, sometimes even for requesting ratings or feature suggestions.

This "hostile" system, compounded by Apple's lack of notification for developers about reviews and the prevalence of fake ratings for free apps, harms indie developers. Johnson suggests Apple should initiate rating requests post-purchase to mitigate these issues, calling the company's inaction "shameful complacency."