Maintainer's activity in GitHub issue is also a good metric.
I imagine that I am not the only one.
"Library/repository activity has little to do with usability, or quality. Some things are more or less finished and correct."
Edit: https://github.com/blaise-io/contribution
For example.. I guess that maybe gaming the system really is required if thats a 'good measure'.
Some software just does what it is supposed to and doesn't need to change, and this is OK, and I have no idea why this fact infuriates some people.