PDA

View Full Version : Proof that Using Internet Explorer Makes You Dumber



vangogh
07-29-2011, 12:55 PM
First know that to read this thread you should take your tongue and firmly implant it in your cheek. You should also carry several pinches of salt with you if you read the article I'm about to link to.

Earlier I came across a report suggesting IE users are not the best and brightest (http://www.businessinsider.com/study-internet-explorer-users-are-dumber-2011-7?op=1).

The report is based on a study by a research firm. The firm ran an IQ test on their site and after collecting more than 100,000 results they compiled those results. Here's what the data suggests about IQ and browser choice.

121

Firefox, Chrome, and Safari users all scored above average on the test. Sadly our IE friends scored below average regardless of which version of IE they used.

5 years ago when the same firm ran the same test, IE users scored just above average, so clearly prolonged exposure to IE is leading people to lost IQ points.

The real takeaway from this study is that we should all download, install, and begin using the Opera browser as soon as possible. Switching to Opera will instantly raise your IQ no matter what browser you currently use (by more than 40 points if you're currently stuck on IE6).

So what does all this prove? Probably nothing. Here's the conclusion from the PDF of the study (http://www.aptiquant.com/IQ-Browser-AptiQuant-2011.pdf).


it is a clear indication that individuals on the lower side of the IQ scale tend to resist a change/upgrade of their browsers

Draw whatever conclusions you want, but I'm still carrying around that salt shaker and my tongue has never lost contact with my cheek at any time during this thread. Now I'm off to open Opera so I can become instantly smarter. :)

kerrylinux
07-31-2011, 02:59 PM
it is a clear indication that individuals on the lower side of the IQ scale tend to resist a change/upgrade of their browsers


Wouldn't that mean that the Firefoxians are quite ahead of the Operanions in the brains department due to their speedy upgrade from version 4 to version 5 in a couple of weeks?

vangogh
07-31-2011, 04:09 PM
Interesting. I've already heard talk of FF6 too. They'll have to rethink the study results. Wouldn't it also mean Chrome users have to be the smartest of all since Chrome updates automatically seemingly every day? I guess saying those with lower IQ upgrade less doesn't automatically imply those who upgrade often have higher IQ.

If P then Q doesn't imply if not Q then not P or something like that. :)

kerrylinux
07-31-2011, 05:38 PM
I guess saying those with lower IQ upgrade less doesn't automatically imply those who upgrade often have higher IQ.

No, but they may have a faster internet connection.

vangogh
08-01-2011, 11:14 AM
Wouldn't that be more to do with finances than IQ? I sense another test coming on.

seolman
08-01-2011, 02:16 PM
I'm not touching this thread with a 10 foot browser...

vangogh
08-01-2011, 03:35 PM
Funny. It is meant to be tongue in cheek though and it was posted on a Friday for that reason. I certainly don't believe the subject line I gave to this thread. By the way shouldn't that be you wouldn't touch this thread with a 10 point IQ browser?

I would think the 2 main factors in this study are that:

1. IQ is possibly not a great measure of intelligence
2. The geekerati likely do better on IQ tests and the geekerati typically use browsers other than IE

seolman
08-01-2011, 03:50 PM
By the way shouldn't that be you wouldn't touch this thread with a 10 point IQ browser?

Much better than my attempt at a joke...

:D

vangogh
08-01-2011, 05:41 PM
You must be an Internet Explorer user. :)

nealrm
08-01-2011, 11:47 PM
The study of course is junk, but the marketing aspect is great. The company now has it's name all over the web.

vangogh
08-02-2011, 12:06 AM
I'm not even sure how great their marketing is. What people are sharing and remembering is the IE users are dumb story. Does anyone remember the name of the company behind the study? I know I don't. Maybe the people behind the study are IE users, hence the poor marketing of their name over the silly conclusion of their study.

seolman
08-02-2011, 02:22 AM
You must be an Internet Explorer user. :)

Although my IQ may not reflect it I use Opera, FF and Chrome depending on what type of projects I'm working on :P
Guess that makes me some sort of browser savant...

nealrm
08-02-2011, 10:03 AM
This type of marketing is not the remember the name on call it type. Instead, it is meant to increase the chance you will pick them from a list. You may not even realize that you have remembered the name.

vangogh
08-02-2011, 10:46 AM
Guess that makes me some sort of browser savant

Good one.

Neal I wouldn't be so sure someone would choose this company from a list. I think what's mainly being shared is the image I attached earlier, which never shows their name. Consider the entire thread. Not once has the research company's name been mentioned. I think this is more representative of how this story will spread once it gets past the first few people who mentioned it. And I think it's more representative of what most people coming across the story will see.

nealrm
08-02-2011, 06:56 PM
OK everyone - without rereading the story one of the companies below was mentioned. Feel free to guess if you don't know. Random chance would have each select 25%, I suspect the right answer will get select more often than that.

Psyasia, Aptiquant, Castleworldwide, Pacificmetrics

vangogh
08-02-2011, 09:52 PM
I actually know so I'll refrain from saying. I looked it up after my last post.

You may well be right that people will remember on a subconscious level. I have a hunch that the story will be what spreads the most and that the company name may not spread with the story.

vangogh
08-03-2011, 12:19 PM
Neal I think you nailed it. :)

I'm sure this won't come as a surprise. Today the BBC is reporting that the initial study about IQ and browser use was a complete hoax (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-14389430). Not that anyone mistook it for serious data. At least I hope not.

Here's a quote from the BBC


It later emerged that the company's website was only recently set up and staff images were copied from a legitimate business in Paris.

jamestl2
08-03-2011, 03:48 PM
Heh, saw this while browsing through news headlines recently. While funny, wasn't sure it was actually genuine.

I've always assumed that people that use IE were just more computer illiterate than others (not meant to be a bad thing). Take my Dad for example, he hates computers, doesn't really understand the differences between web browsers, what they can offer users, etc. He just uses IE because it's the browser the PC came with, and just wanted to check his email from time to time.

Basically, IE's for more casual web users.

vangogh
08-03-2011, 08:56 PM
Nice to see you James. I've been wondering where you were and how you've been.

I think most people have questioned this report and rightly so since it's been online. I don't know that it would be a low IQ leading to more likelihood of IE use, but I do think there's something to low tech savviness leading to IE use, simply because it's still the default browser on most computers. People who aren't tech savvy are probably less likely to find and install another browser so they'll use the default.

jamestl2
08-03-2011, 09:35 PM
Hey, thanks Steve. Actually have been pretty busy with work and projects over the past few months, and haven't had much time for other things.

Yeah, I believe Windows is still the dominant OS on most PCs and casual people that use IE don't really even consider other, better browsers.

Admittedly though, IE9 is a huge step in the right direction when compared to it's predecessors regarding web standards.

vangogh
08-03-2011, 11:37 PM
Cool about the work. Good to hear.

Windows is definitely the default on PCs and naturally IE is coming with it. I agree that IE9 is a huge step forward. Really everything past IE6 has been an improvement.

KristineS
08-04-2011, 04:43 PM
Well, I was feeling smug that I use Firefox until I found out the whole thing was a hoax.

vangogh
08-05-2011, 10:42 AM
Hoax perhaps, but we can still have fun pretending it wasn't. Your next assignment is to casually observe who uses what browser in your office.

seolman
08-05-2011, 01:07 PM
OK, cancelled MENSA application...

vangogh
08-05-2011, 01:38 PM
You don't have to cancel. Just switch to Opera. Didn't you see the graph? Opera instantly makes you smarter, smart enough to be accepted into MENSA.

KristineS
08-05-2011, 03:21 PM
Hoax perhaps, but we can still have fun pretending it wasn't. Your next assignment is to casually observe who uses what browser in your office.

Oh, that could be an adventure. Care to take some guesses?

vangogh
08-05-2011, 03:26 PM
Given what I know about the people in your office, I'm pretty sure I could guess well.

scottish
09-22-2011, 02:26 PM
people who don't use computers much (older generations) will only use IE as it comes with the OS. So IE will have a higher percentage of less able users in computer speak.

vangogh
09-22-2011, 07:06 PM
Did you catch that the whole thing was a hoax?