> I look at the starts when choosing dependencies, it's a first filter for sure.

Unfortunately I still look at them, too, out of habit: The project or repo's star count _was_ a first filter in the past, and we must keep in mind it no longer is.

> Good reminder that everything gets gamed given the incentives.

Also known as Goodhart's law [1]: "When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure".

Essentially, VCs screwed this one up for the rest of us, I think?

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodhart%27s_law

Average case of "once a measure becomes a target".