For both Mac software developers and users, VersionTracker (www.versiontracker.com/macosx) and MacUpdate (www.macupdate.com/) are two major websites where buyers and sellers meet each other. Software developers who submit their product to one of them are quite likely to submit the same product to the other subsequently. Other large Mac review websites are Softpedia (mac.softpedia.com) and Apple – Downloads (www.apple.com/downloads/macosx). As for Apple – Downloads, it’s true that any software developer can submit their products to them. But the hurdle is high. They don’t list any submission unconditionally. If your software product has flaws, Apple – Downloads is likely to ignore it without telling you reasons.
As you see in Screenshot 01, BookmarksX shows that VersionTracker’s Mac website has the highest Google PageRank. Of course, the Google PageRank is not the only parameter of website popularity.
 Screenshot 01 – Source: MacHouse |
 Screenshot 02 – Source: VersionTracker |
 Screenshot 03 – Source: Google |
VersionTracker’s high PageRank partly results from the fact it’s part of a major IT group called CNET Networks. CNET Networks acquired VersionTracker at the end of August, 2007. CNET Networks also owns popular websites including Download.com (download.cnet.com) and GameSpot. Should Mac software developers care about who owns VersionTracker? Maybe, they should. If you submit a software product to VersionTracker, chances are that it will be listed at other group websites simultaneously. For example, we submitted a new software product called AskKey Pro several hours ago. (See Screenshot 02.) According to Google, our submission of AskKey Pro is also found at CNET Download.com. And according to BookmarksX, CNET Download.com’s Mac website has a Google page popularity of 7. Continue reading
