»

[jorkany]

Average IE user has an IQ of 80. No wonder Internet fraud is still so rampant!

http://www.aptiquant.com/news/is-int...-exactly-that/

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Proud Opera user right here, folks. ;-)

But seriously, wonder what the results would've been if a few Amiga users had also taken that poll? :-D

[Matt_H]

As funny as this story is, I wouldn't put much weight in it. I doubt their sample population is representative.

[Tripitaka]

I think if they had asked a few plants it would have been higher.

[maffoo]

I'm not too surprised by this. I have often thought that Windows and IE users are less intelligent on average than users of other operating systems and browsers.

Not because only stupid people would use them. Rather, stupid people will go for the "default" option. Windows is the "default" option on most PCs on the high street (other than Apple, which is a more expensive option) and IE is the default browser for Windows. I suspect that if Firefox had been the default option on Windows for a good few years a similar study would show that Firefox users are less intelligent on average.

[AccyD]

I find all of these anti-MS/IE rants or reports simply stupid. A small two bit firm in Canada has decided to try and get some cheap publicity and you guys have fallen for it hook, line, and sinker.....

I use IE/MS and have no problems saying so, I find the alternatives even worse - liked only by people who jump on bandwagons:

Apple: completely focussed on asthetics, no substance and often technically inept (if you can't read that sentence properly its probably because you were holding your iPhone improperly and the signal went - silly!). Oh, and to afford any of the products you have to have more money than sense......

Google: Doesn't do evil......hmmmm photo of your house anyone? Have a unsecured wi-fi network you've forgotten to password protect - dont worry Google have catalogued this for you on their great (hacked) server in the sky. But you dont have to email them directly to complain - they're reading your private emails so they already know how you feel!

I'm not saying MS are the best thing since sliced bread but at least they are not out to steal your data or charge you a fortune for a locked system. Love them or loathe them you have to acknowledge that without them the world would be a different place today; no Windows, Office or IE?? Computers with a myriad of standards and operating systems, completely incompatible and user interfaces infinitely harder to use - no thanks, I'd rather have MS for all their faults they've done wonders for our society and business environment.

Oh, and for the record I'm a comparatively competant computer user, building systems, programming in VBA & C++, etc...maybe the users we have to worry about the most are those who find such enjoyment in these surveys!

[Piru]

@AccyD

I'm sorry but I'll trust Google over Microsoft any day.

As for apple, well yes some of their policies and hardware suck hard, no doubt. Yet, I haven't found anything in wintel world to replace the macbook pros (no I am not a apple fanboy even though I use their products). BTW I'd like to see the day when the next Windows version is 24€ and can be installed to up to 5 machines ;-)

Around here IE is only used by inexperienced new users or due to policy reasons (company intra or other web apps require IEx). Everyone else is using Firefox, Opera or if you're trendy: Chrome. I guess some apple users are happy with Safari, too, but I'd still think power users use something else.

I have to agree with this particular study is just plain silly though.

[psxphill]

Originally Posted by Piru

Around here IE is only used by inexperienced new users or due to policy reasons (company intra or other web apps require IEx). Everyone else is using Firefox, Opera or if you're trendy: Chrome. I guess some apple users are happy with Safari, too, but I'd still think power users use something else.

I only ever see inexperienced users who think they are power users installing firefox, opera or chrome. Or because of policy reasons, like delluded companies who think IE is a security risk.

But knock yourself out.

And can you explain what a power user of the web even is?

[Piru]

Originally Posted by psxphill

I only ever see inexperienced users who think they are power users installing firefox, opera or chrome.

Weird place you live in.

Or because of policy reasons, like delluded companies who think IE is a security risk.

Organizations that force users to use outdated IE are source of major security headache. There are numerous organizations that are unable to upgrade from IE6 because of Microsoft lock-in in their various internal web sites.

But knock yourself out.

Likewise.

[Daedalus]

Originally Posted by psxphill

I only ever see inexperienced users who think they are power users installing firefox, opera or chrome.

Wow. That must make me a pretty inexperienced user. I guess I'm only programming as a hobby for 20 odd years, and work developing firmware for the medical devices industry, so that doesn't count as experience, right? The way you say that almost sounds like "Real men only use IE" as if anyone using another browser doesn't really know what they're doing, and can't handle IE. I guess that makes Linux users like myself total wimps, right?

[Franko]

Originally Posted by psxphill

And can you explain what a power user of the web even is?

A power user of the web is just someone whose even more thicker than the rest of us who use the web...

Can't say I'm surprised by this study, it just confirms what I've always thought and just over a year of using the net has only proven to me, it's a place generally used by numpties (meself included) for nothing more than gibbering keech, watching porn and generally cos even with 600 odd TV channels on Sky the telly's still crap...

It has one saving grace though, it means I don't have to go out so often just to wind people up and rip the P out of them...

[scuzzb494]

Originally Posted by psxphill

I only ever see inexperienced users who think they are power users installing firefox, opera or chrome. Or because of policy reasons, like delluded companies who think IE is a security risk.

But knock yourself out.

And can you explain what a power user of the web even is?

Or maybe cus they can install the plugins that let them download videos off YouTube and the like. Also Firefox supports the old file format under http for say /D|/ which IE doesn't and Firefox is way more easy to customise, has a great add blocker and gets updated regularly. There is nothing wrong with IE which I guess the majority of the world uses. I have Windows7 which runs without fault but use Firefox so I can watch Mumford and Sons at Glastonbury .. Easy choice don't you think and not rocket science.

[psxphill]

Originally Posted by AccyD

maybe the users we have to worry about the most are those who find such enjoyment in these surveys!

Well said, I've installed different browsers from netscape navigator to firefox. I always end up on IE.

Google have been caught too many times doing things with data that is illegal. Hacking into peoples wireless networks and logging their traffic is innexcusable. So no I don't trust them one bit.

Google Docs & Chrome OS is all about getting access to your data, anyone who doesn't get that is very naive.

Microsoft get a bad press because they are the biggest, Apple & Google do much worse but people don't mind because they are popular. If you buy into that **** then you deserve what you'll get.

[Piru]

Originally Posted by psxphill

Google Docs & Chrome OS is all about getting access to your data, anyone who doesn't get that is very naive.

Yeah right... Keep wearing that tin foil hat.

[psxphill]

Originally Posted by Piru

Yeah right... Keep wearing that tin foil hat.

Is that the same tin foil hat all you web power users are wearing.
Anyone who thinks, "phew I'm glad I don't use IE after reading the survey" is one of your web power users.

Microsofts motives are clear cut, they want market share for their operating systems.

Google don't make money any other way than processing your data. All their products involve you giving them data to process. Ignoring that they might do something evil with your data, I don't want to help them make money from something I give them. Especially as there are always cheaper alternatives.

I understand both companies motives & act accordingly, so I don't need a tin foil hat thanks. Trusting google with everything is like replying to an email asking for you bank details and PIN.

Originally Posted by Piru

Weird place you live in.


Organizations that force users to use outdated IE are source of major security headache. There are numerous organizations that are unable to upgrade from IE6 because of Microsoft lock-in in their various internal web sites.

It's the same place you live in. Outdated IE is just as stupid as picking an alternative in the workplace. Any company that standardises on anything other than the latest version of IE is doing it for the wrong reasons.