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Late last week several news outlets ran a story claiming that Internet Explorer users had a lower IQ than other browser users. The study was supposedly carried out online by Canadian AptiQuant Psychometirc Consulting Co. and the “results” indicated that users of Internet Explorer scored significantly lower than those using competing web browsers such as Firefox, Chrome and Safari.
AptiQuant even followed the story up by claiming they were threatened with a lawsuit by “loyal Internet Explorer users”.
The BBC was one of the original reporting outlets but they soon became suspicious after their readers discovered the website had only recently been launched.
It has since been announced that everything surrounding the story was a complete hoax. In retrospect, there were many signs questioning the legitimacy of the study and website but media didn’t put the pieces together quickly enough.
Since the hoax was revealed, much of the content on the AptiQuant website has been removed. Furthermore, those responsible for the hoax have posted a list of signs that “should have uncovered the hoax in less than 5 minutes”.
At the top of this list is the fact that the domain was registered on July 14, 2011. This could have been revealed by a quick WhoIs domain registration search. Other warning signs include the fact that the given address for the business does not exist and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (IV) test is copyrighted and cannot be administered online.
“Again, this was all meant to be a lighthearted joke. We did not mean to insult anyone, but if we have hurt anybody’s feelings, we apologize for that. But what’s really funny is that everybody took the report so seriously, with comments like “Oh did we need such a study, we already knew that.”
In the end, we are once again sorry if I this report hurt your feelings. The main purpose behind this hoax was to create awareness about the incompatibilities of IE6 and how it is pulling back innovation. So, if you are still using IE6, please update to a newer browser.“
User Comments: 43
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"Not really a good example. To verify the presence of WMD in Iraq before any publication of those claims, the press would have had to declare war on Iraq, then go in and search for said weapons themselves."
Or just point out that an undated image with the resolution of an etch-a-sketch thrown around by the Bush administration is not good enough to invade another country?
So then the press is ultimately responsible for the second Iraq war, by virtue of its own incompetence or complacency? Who is "Commander and Chief" of the armed forces nowadays, the editor of the New York Times?
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I guess an IQ of 147 is low these days. :p
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I guess an IQ of 147 is low these days. :pWell, that is prodigious, but irrelevant, since the story was a hoax. And you get to keep that number, irrespective of which browser you choose.
You could of course, out of pride or purpose, start a poll about individual member's IQ. Of course you'd never really be sure if they were bull s***ing you or not.
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Just because there is no documented evidence doesn't mean it isn't true.
Microsoft's IE (until 9) is and has been such an utter nuisance to web devs that if MS had a passable IQ they would have upgraded it or required everyone to ditch it many moons ago.
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Just because there is no documented evidence doesn't mean it isn't true.I don't know of a standardized IQ test for semi-monopolies, so that would be pretty hard to prove.
Microsoft's IE (until 9) is and has been such an utter nuisance to web devs that if MS had a passable IQ they would have upgraded it or required everyone to ditch it many moons ago.
Besides the hoax referenced individual users, M$ itself wasn't part of that, it's not an individual, therefore exempt. (Of course "eligible" would only attach if the "survey" was real in the first place).
M$ would love nothing more than to have individuals and corporations alike, abandon every browser they've ever made, besides IE9. You can't pin being a Luddite, on anything but the Luddite itself.
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HiDDeNMisT said:
I really wonder what my IQ really is?
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I really wonder what my IQ really is?There, there now, don't be sad, and above all, no pouting. It's whatever you want it to be.........YAY...!
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captaincranky said:dude serious?Yeah dude serious.
that's is NOT the only option to finding out WMD. that's propaganda talk, also known as cool aid. if declaring war on nations is the only option for you to find out other's secrets, the world would be bursting in flame and no one would be alive by now. there're ways to verify a report. you just gotta do a better job verifying the "source". if you can't. don't publish the story.
And if only for the fact, that finding out the truth would ultimately have taken longer than Messrs. Bush & Cheyney's, very "successful", "rush to judgment".
There were 2 fully involved propaganda machines between the press and the fact or fantasy of WMD in Iraq, ours and theirs. The press, is to one degree or another, dependent on our government for "the truth", and must take much of what comes out of the White House on faith.
Iraq was a closed society at that time, and had a "White Palace" press secretary to disseminate their version of the "truth" also. (I think he was killed, at the very least captured).
So, if any investigative reporter had a general, more advanced knowledge of the truth about WMD in Iraq, and wasn't listened to, that is a tragic oversight in history.
My suggestion to you would be the time honored, "if you want anything done right, do it yourself", instead of talking smack here at TS.
I look forward to any revelations that "howzz-ileaks" could, in the near future, provide for our general betterment and enlightenment, promoting world peace, and perhaps even upholding the ideals of the Miss America Pageant.
dude serious? , the world would be bursting in flame and no one would be alive by now.I pulled this out to deal with it separately. This is hyperbole. We possess the ability to almost knock the earth out of orbit, hasn't happened. The world is constantly in flames, simply not all once. We just change the location of the fire periodically, out of convenience, necessity, and situational exigences.sounds like you just need to lay off the cool aid.
government or press... one still needs to verify the source. just because the white house said so, it doesn't make it true. you seriously believe everything anyone tells you. Verify the source, publish the story, simple as that. there were countless instances we could've gone to war with the USSR and never did, and yet we were digging each other's dirty laundry.
i don't know where you're going with the whole earth thing... must be all that cool aid you've been drinking.
don't get mad because someone pointed out the fact that it doesn't require a war to find out on certain facts.
any other hill billy insights?
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I'm not angry at all. I just think you talk a great job, condemn other peoples efforts, and offer none of your own.
don't get mad because someone pointed out the fact that it doesn't require a war to find out on certain facts.
As I said, if the press is so pitiful and mislead, then you should step up, and show them how it's done, instead of talking smack.
Since I really didn't resort to name calling or, hill billy incest innuendo to make that case, I'm reporting your post above
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People using the fashion accessories, otherwise known as Apple products, have to be the stupidest people of all.
Don't need a survey to know that.
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People using the fashion accessories, otherwise known as Apple products, have to be the stupidest people of all.Sadly, the survey had absolutely nothing to do with Apple products. Which brings us to the inevitable question, "what on earth are you talking about"?
Don't need a survey to know that.
Don't get me wrong, an Apple hating guest is always more than welcome here at Techspot.
I still thing people using IE are retarded.And I "thing" so too....
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I am sick of hearing about all these browser wars. back, forward, address bar, quick load of pages (don't care about 100ms difference etc.) is all that concerns me. That and that it doesn't crash.
Recently had to stop using chome because the f..ng thing would crash wherever there is flash in a page. I know the latest release rectified this, but I can't be arsed installing it.
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I am sick of hearing about all these browser wars. back, forward, address bar, quick load of pages (don't care about 100ms difference etc.) is all that concerns me. That and that it doesn't crash..You noticed that too, huh?Recently had to stop using chome because the f..ng thing would crash wherever there is flash in a page. I know the latest release rectified this, but I can't be arsed installing it.Really, having Google Chrome, entails having Google Update along with it. For me, that's a no brainer, get rid of the baby and the bathwater in one shot, install Firefox and, or Opera and use those.
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HiDDeNMisT said:There, there now, don't be sad, and above all, no pouting. It's whatever you want it to be.........YAY...!
YAY!!!!! I want it to be 2,000,000 8D oh yeah!!
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Firefox stole InPrivate browsing idea from IE
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Night Hacker said:
We don't need a study to show us that IE users have a lower IQ. It's painfully obvious.
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HiDDeNMisT said:
This is all true Night Hacker
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ha ha ha - Mr. Cranky got it so right the milk came out of my nose
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