A gripe or how to read an HPS meter

Last gripe I had on the general forums was about reactive healers and absorbs. I'm getting really tired of getting into groups with people not knowing how to read a healing meter and just going off HPS (as if it means anything).

This weeks gripe: how to read a healing meter- especially when you don't know how. It's pretty simple:

HPS is NOT DPS

Heals per second is this:

The higher the damage, the more your healers are going to heal for. If there isn't much damage being taken or if it's mainly a tank healing fight, your average healer is going to be healing for less.

Things that effect a healer:

Group composition: if you are the only shaman in a raid group with 2 discs and 2 holy pallies, your healing is going to be lowish. That is due to the other classes mechanics and can't be helped.

The fight: If there isn't a lot of AoE damage, there isn't going to be a lot to heal.

Cool down usage: most healers do not pop there heavy healing cool downs unless they know a lot of raid wide damage is about to go out.

HPS is not the only part of the meter you should be reading when it comes to "boot the healer":

Dispels- did the healer do dispels on a fight that required it?
Overhealing: is the healer high on the overheals meter but low in HPS? That means they are healing but their heals aren't actually doing anything
Deaths: did the healer die early into the fight and what to?

So before you play the "Kick the healer" game, you need to be looking at the overall picture- not just half of it.