“Are Mac users smarter than PC users? I doubt it’s possible to get a definitive answer, but as long as you don’t take any of it too seriously you can have a lot of fun playing with proxies such as the average user’s ability to read and write his or her native language,” Paul Murphy writes for LinuxInsider.
Murphy writes, “[Ratings for Mac users were] significantly higher than those given Slashdot’s contributors, and thus better than those given text from the PC sites, but the vocabulary was larger too. Without collapsing words to their root forms, but after removing punctuation (including capitalization) and numbers, the Macintouch stuff had 870 unique words to only 517 for the combined PC sites. Overall, the results are pretty clear: Mac users might not actually be smarter than PC users, but they certainly use better English and a larger vocabulary to express more complex thinking.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Just over two years ago, a report from from Nielsen/NetRatings stated, “Those who surf the Web using a Mac tend to be better educated and make more money than their PC-using counterparts.” So, of course Mac users use better English and a larger vocabulary to express more complex thinking. Why? What’s painfully obvious to most Mac users may not seem so clear to the majority of Windows sufferers, so we’ll just flat out say it: Mac users are smarter than Windows users. On that, you can quote us.
How did you take that apart?
Mac user: I looked it over from all sides, determined the order in which I felt it was put together and performed the actions in reverse. (Total time: 12 minutes)
Windows user: I beat it with a shovel over and over until it fell apart. Some of it’s broken now, but “close enough,” I always say! (Total time: 1 hour, 8 minutes)
Legitimate explanation: Macs are more expensive. Therefore, you must have more money to buy them. Those that have more money tend to be able to afford better education. Thus the deciding factor is money, which affects education and computer choice.
For those who insulted me.
You do believe anything you read don’t you? If so, then you have shown a major immaturity in your thinking.
Saying that I’m an idiot is making you intellectually disabled because I haven’t insulted anyone in here. I simply commented this very MDN topic.
When you disagree with someone you need to have a point to back your view. Insults are for children.
I had no money starting out. But, I had a brain. And I ended up paying for my considerable education loans with my Macintosh-based work. Now, I have the means to be able to live in nice houses and drive nice cars and buy nice Macs. Brains came first (thanks, God) and the money followed.
there are so many Windows users that the weight of their numbers is going to pull their aggregate IQ/salary/level of education down. Doesn’t necessarily make Mac users smarter.
Some people have very little money but are 100 times happier than people with money. Some folks tend not to worry about how much they have, but what’s in their heart that matters most. Surround yourself with happy poor people and you’ll always be picking up tips…
It is not that people are smarter because they use a Mac. It is people use a Mac because they are smarter!!!!
The cream always rises to the top.
And Macusers are faggots, too. Like me.
My Mac buddies pay twice as much for the same thing I got on the Wintel side. Who’s the dummy now? B-durp!
This has to be the dumbest MacDailyNews article yet. It’d be better named MacDailyRants since there’s rarely much news here that doesn’t come attached with a “MacDailyNews Take:” which dumbs down the whole article into a childish and biased cheap-shot at everyone’s favorite punching bag, Microsoft.
In a nice bit of irony Boeing777, the article points out that more Windows users use a ‘handle’ on forum posts while the Mac users tended to use real names.
– Robert
It’s not quite as pathetic as you might think. People do not become more intelligent because they use a different OS, rather, they use a different OS because they are already more intelligent.
Here is proof that Mac users are smarter!
I scanned this from the world book almanac 2003 edition
yes i spelled it almamac on purpose, Now where exactly do you get the idea that windows users are smarter?
What was that grouping term I heard used somewhere? “A Smug of Mac Users”? Wonder where that came from?
Crackhead’s comment shows just how stupid Wintel users can be. They believe the Windows crap they spent “half as much” for is equal to the Mac hardware/OS/software I got. Ignorant PC users have never seen what you get for your dollar on the Mac.
When people are better educated, they are usually paid better. If they’re paid better, they buy better products. Apple makes better computers. Bottom line. Suck it up Boing 777.
ARRGH! this topic is always good for combative posts…
Boeing, your initial post kicks off with getting the ’cause-effect’ relationship BACKWARD, guy… Using a particular OS doesn’t make you SMARTER, but rather, the article surmises that SMARTER people pick OSX. Which may or may not be true. But understand the premise.
Smarter doesn’t mean you make more money. Your boss makes way more money than you, but he’s definitely not smarter than you. Who’s smarter, Bill Gate or Steve Jobs?
Maybe we’re just not as dumb
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I’ve always thought that the decision whether to buy a Mac or Wintel was an IQ test of sorts.
In 1984 I owned a Commodore 64 and had access to IBMs and Apple IIs, as well as dedicated computers like the kind that programmed multi-media shows. I used to program those computers to control large slide shows. I heard about the Mac, went to an Apple store, played around with a 128k Mac for about 5 minutes. It was obvious that the Macintosh was a huge leap forward, so I bought one. And I’ve never looked back.
20 years later, the superficial differences have blurred. Most people are fooled by the fact that Windows and the Mac ‘look and feel’ pretty close to each other. To the casual observer.
But as we all know, the difference between a PC and a Mac is the difference between a transvestite and a real woman.
All kidding aside.. I go with the Money = Macs theory. Even though it is generally the computer of choice for creatives of all types: musicians, artists, photographers, etc. who often do not have much money at all. But if a higher education goes with intelligence and money, then the Mac certainly has a better chance of ending up in their house.
David Vesey
This kind of article is nonsense. Just because there is a correlation between data doesn’t always mean there is a direct cause and effect. I think in this case what we see is that more educated people have more disposable income and hence less likely to buy a computer based solely on price.
So, with 90% or more of the market and cheap machines, WinTel machines are more likely to have users with less education. Make a Mac for $10 and you may see a completely different demographic.
rejoice in writing at a 6th grade level, vs. a 5th grade level.
Eric wrote: When people are better educated, they are usually paid better. If they’re paid better, they buy better products. Apple makes better computers. Bottom line. Suck it up Boing 777.
Interesting, so now anyone with money can buy a smart mind by purchasing a Mac right? Is this how you think yourself smarter?
Plus, do you have to wait for an article or an analysis to tell you that you’re smart because of the computer you chose.
Some less fortunate people are smarter to pick a more affordable solution that fits their needs rather than thinking that a smart attitude can be bought in an Apple store.
Eric…ditto.
The perception is that Macs cost more $$$. Whether the Mac is worth it or not may be debatable, the point is that the more intelligent usually make more $$$ and they have the moeny to pay for a Mac.