IE users have lower IQ

binarysoul

It's the #1 read and shared news item on BBC right now!

BBC News - Internet Explorer users have lower IQ says study

undomiel

Awesome! I'm an Opera user so I must be brilliant.

Forsaken_GA

Is anybody really terribly surprised at this? Windows is the pre-dominant user operating system, and IE is installed by default. I have absolutely no doubt that if Microsoft had decided to partner with Netscape back in the early days of the internet rather than developing their own browser (and install it by default on all versions of windows), that it would be occupying that slot right now.

It also doesn't account for the fact that there's no way to distinguish between users who may have been taking the test at home, or at work. At work, you may not have a choice in what browser you use.

I'm as big a Microsoft bigot as any nerd out there, but the BBC is being sensationalist with this reporting. The CEO of the company that conducted the report is more correct when he says that low IQ users are likely to be using IE, as opposed to the implication that using IE means you have a low IQ. The difference is subtle, but it's there.

Chris:/*

It also mentioned that the users were using IE6 which points to older computer often found in Windows XP the dominant OS in the wild. Research like this is a joke there is no single control. There is no description of breakouts, if they are unequal it is a bogus test.

All that being said users who use different than default browsers typically experiment more and would score higher on an IQ test. IQ does not show you are smarter just that you have more potential to be smart.

cyberguypr

BBC News - Internet Explorer story was bogus

erpadmin

Forsaken_GA wrote: »

Is anybody really terribly surprised at this? Windows is the pre-dominant user operating system, and IE is installed by default. I have absolutely no doubt that if Microsoft had decided to partner with Netscape back in the early days of the internet rather than developing their own browser (and install it by default on all versions of windows), that it would be occupying that slot right now.

The reason that was not the case is because Netscape, in its infitinite wisdom, wanted to charge folks for a browser license. Microsoft, in its infitite wisdom, made their Internet browser free.

The beginning of the end for Netscape....

it_consultant

cyberguypr wrote: »

BBC News - Internet Explorer story was bogus

I thought this seemed a little off base. I wasn't sure if you could get a good sampling using the methods they described.

eansdad

IQ means nothing for adults unless your down around the 80 or lower area. I've seen people that tested low go on to do big things and people who score high do nothing.

Forsaken_GA

cyberguypr wrote: »

BBC News - Internet Explorer story was bogus

You want to know the sad thing? This will make no difference. I'll bet the initial report made enough of a splash that people will be quoting the bogus study as fact for years to come.

Hopefully it teaches the news outlets that picked the original story up a thing or two about responsibility.

tpatt100

Forsaken_GA wrote: »

You want to know the sad thing? This will make no difference. I'll bet the initial report made enough of a splash that people will be quoting the bogus study as fact for years to come.

Hopefully it teaches the news outlets that picked the original story up a thing or two about responsibility.

People still forward reworded chain emails recycled from over a decade ago, your probably right.

Armymanis

Forsaken_GA wrote: »

Is anybody really terribly surprised at this? Windows is the pre-dominant user operating system, and IE is installed by default. I have absolutely no doubt that if Microsoft had decided to partner with Netscape back in the early days of the internet rather than developing their own browser (and install it by default on all versions of windows), that it would be occupying that slot right now.

It also doesn't account for the fact that there's no way to distinguish between users who may have been taking the test at home, or at work. At work, you may not have a choice in what browser you use.

I'm as big a Microsoft bigot as any nerd out there, but the BBC is being sensationalist with this reporting. The CEO of the company that conducted the report is more correct when he says that low IQ users are likely to be using IE, as opposed to the implication that using IE means you have a low IQ. The difference is subtle, but it's there.

I remember using a Netscape browser back when Windows 95 was out. Man has it been that long already? That was also when i was in elementary school and we had dial up. Internet was slow back then. Look at it now.

mikedisd2

The intelligence test is in the headline. Read it as: Are you dumb enough to fall for this?

tpatt100

Armymanis wrote: »

I remember using a Netscape browser back when Windows 95 was out. Man has it been that long already? That was also when i was in elementary school and we had dial up. Internet was slow back then. Look at it now.

I started using Mosaic and back then I remember multimedia on a webpage was animated gif files and midi music.

Chris:/*

tpatt100 wrote: »

I started using Mosaic and back then I remember multimedia on a webpage was animated gif files and midi music.

Ah those were the days such an upgrade from the BBS green screens.

Turgon

binarysoul wrote: »

It's the #1 read and shared news item on BBC right now!

BBC News - Internet Explorer users have lower IQ says study

IQ is a flawed way of attempting to measure intelligence IMHO.

RobertKaucher

Turgon wrote: »

IQ is a flawed way of attempting to measure intelligence IMHO.

I agree, but then I actually LIKE to use IE.

MrRyte

Turgon wrote: »

IQ is a flawed way of attempting to measure intelligence IMHO.

+1. I remember seeing a PrimeTime-20/20 show a few years back which featured a guy that scored real high on the IQ test (don't remember the exact score)-turns out he was a bouncer at some club in Long Island.

It ain't what you know; it's what you DO with what you know.

Claymoore

Forsaken_GA wrote: »

You want to know the sad thing? This will make no difference. I'll bet the initial report made enough of a splash that people will be quoting the bogus study as fact for years to come.

Hopefully it teaches the news outlets that picked the original story up a thing or two about responsibility.

Yep, just like people still think vaccines cause autism even though that study was found to be bogus.

Netwurk

I stuck with IE for years because that's what we use at work and it suited my needs. But I didn't like IE9 so I switched to Firefox. I liked the search bar in the upper righthand corner and IE9 eliminated that. Yeah there's a workaround but why bother researching the latest IE "improvement" when the latest Firefox version keeps the feature.

I still use IE at work but only because I have no choice.