Critical Reviewing of Software

Excerpt

To the editor: The April issue of Annals has launched a novel and laudable precedent by reviewing in its "Literature of Medicine" section several medical software products. Yet, there are potential complications here of which editors, reviewers, and readers should be aware. A computer program differs greatly from a book, essay, or scientific report. A computer program is designed to do something in a way that a book or article is not, and it can be evaluated by seeing if its intent is realized. When medical software is to be judged, it is important in the interests of fairness and