Posted on 08/01/2011 7:25:42 AM PDT by fellowgeek
PC World reports that a "psychometric consulting" firm called AptiQuant gave free online IQ tests to 100,000 people, and then plotted the scores against the browser on which the tests were taken.
It found that Internet Explorer users scored lower than average, while Chrome, Firefox and Safari users were very slightly above average. Camino, Opera and Internet Explorer with Chrome Frame were scored "exceptionally" high.
"The study showed a substantial relationship between an individual's cognitive ability and their choice of web browser," AptiQuant concluded. "From the test results, it is a clear indication that individuals on the lower side of the IQ scale tend to resist a change/upgrade of their browsers."
Some people have suggested that there may be other factors at work. Business Insider's Matt Rosoff points out that since IE is the default browser for Windows PC users, anyone who doesn't know how to download and install a new browser will be stuck with it - "which drags down the average". And users of other browsers "include a disproportionate number of computer geeks", which might bring their average up. Or, he admits, it might be that "IE users really are kind of dumb."
Within the group of IE users, version 6 users score lowest, while users of version 8 do rather better.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Or “beef-eaters” vs vegetarians.
I switched from Firefox to Opera a few months ago. There was too much code bloat on Firefox. It’d run with 400MB+ processes when I had several tabs opened. Opera isn’t a processor hog and runs much faster. Its disk caching operation is much better. It also has more features and options imo.
There probably is some merit to this conclusion but the study results are presented in a dangerous way. They are making a pretty sweeping generalization based on a self-selected group. All computer users were not forced to take the test. I can easily imagine a fair number of smart people whose lives aren't wrapped up in computers who simply don't put the effort into looking for other browsers.
This study is like saying people who speak only one language have a lower IQ than people who speak three langauges; or people who don't know calculus have a lower IQ than people who know it. In a very limited way its true, but you really have to heavily qualify the statement.
Now, with that I'll go back to using my Explorer browser with whatever upgrades Microsoft recommended I take.
I think the real purpose for this poll is differet than what they are saying.
I don't know, but Apple has always been known as the preferred brand for liberals and adults living in their parents basement.
Romans 14:2 - way out of context:
“One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables.”
“psychometric consulting” — I just found a new scam!
Half of all people are below average. On average, anyway.
For the “bang for the buck”, how to “parents’ basement dwellers” afford an apple?
I guess they just settle for less “bang”... so to speak.
I like Mosaic.
That is all we have at work, so I use it at home too. Wife has Firefox, and I hate it.
isn’t this kind of biased reporting slamming someone supposed to be reserved for Christians or republicans?
It’s obvious. Guess who voted in Obama during last election cycle?
No mention of Chrome? I tried it, doesn’t quite do what I need.
I’m using IE8 and my brother complains abou IE9
Uhh, that's half of all people are below the median.
I never noticed that verse in that way before. It is out of context, but then think how many people think that vegetarianism is a moral duty to Gaia, or that Jesus doesn't want us to eat animals, or that "suffering" is the only evil, so we should make animals suffer.
I suffer when I don't eat meat, so there.
But look at the following verses;
3Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
4Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
I don't care, and don't judge if someone doesn't eat meat. Just like I don't expect them to judge me because I don't like mango and avocado.
I don't expect them to judge me because I eat meat, either. But they do.
This survey has a couple classic issues with it:
1. Assuming a homogeneous population. If you work in a computer field or otherwise work a lot with a browser, this study has merit. However, if you are the president of a company who doesn’t have much time to surf the net, it probably is pretty meaningless.
2. Relative sample sizes and self selection. If a person with a 200 IQ selects Explorer and a person with a 180 IQ selects another browser, but then two people with an 80 IQ select Explorer, which is the browser selected by “smart” people?
...I use IE at the office, when I use anything at all. The computer that I purchased for home-use came with IE. I have better things to do than worry about fixing something that doesn't need to be fixed, especially when I don't use it very often in the first place ...
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