What do you do to evaluate software/hardware?

[Hawke]

Greetings All,

Before I purchase a software (or hardware) I like to read the reviews. I was wondering which review sites do you visit? I notice some of the review sites are slanted toward a favorable review.

I checkout 5 different sources (using Google) and see if the reviews are similar.

I check out Amazon.com

I also visit the support forum for the software and see what troubles I may have in store for me.

If possible I download a demo software to see if I like it enough to purchase the software.

Where do you guys go to evaluate software?

 

[Shicomm]

Trial and error !
I test the software on multiple systems to see what it does with various hardware and/or O.S.
There is a certain advantage of working in a computer store