Survey finds Apple users have sense of superiority -- no wait, hear us out

Wait up, hang on here -- you're telling us a personality profiling conducted on 7,500 people at Apple's biggest tub-thumping event of the year, Macworld, yielded results that would suggest Apple users "are more liberal, less modest, and more assured of their own superiority than the population at large." And this so-called survey says Apple users have high indexes for "low modesty," "high perfectionism," and "high superiority," and low indexes for things like "humility," and "self esteem"? Lies and half truths. We don't know a single Apple user that fits anything remotely similar to that profile. Plus, we hear this poll totally had some hanging chads.

[Jared @ Jan 17th 2008 11:18AM]

I've known this for a while, now I have proof

[LondonConsultant @ Jan 17th 2008 11:36AM]

Well, this adds weight to theory that all Apple fans should be given Myers-Briggs tests and then sectioned in a secure mental institution - such as California...

[Saint Dumb Ox @ Jan 17th 2008 11:38AM]

This post came over iPhone while I was driving my VW and I spilled my Starbucks venti mocha (no foam) all over my Prada handbag. Damn! Time to call the mobile detailers and have them meet me at Bally's while I have my spinning and yoga classes. I think I'll have my assistant check Engadget from now on.

[daaper @ Jan 17th 2008 12:18PM]

wait a sec, you don't drive a prius? you should be ashamed...

[Silenthillnight @ Jan 17th 2008 12:26PM]

Com'on honey! Bally's? You're soo outta the loop! We all go to Equinox now! We can't be superior unless we pay 150 dollars a month and be able to tell people, "I worked out next to Reese Witherspoon!"

[Scott G. @ Jan 17th 2008 12:51PM]

New survey reveals that runners that finish a marathon say water quenches thirst.

[Pip @ Jan 17th 2008 1:19PM]

It is true, it's also true using Windows you're a conservative that hates people and the world. Rage on!

I'd rather be a liberal Mac user, thanks.

[DWells55 @ Jan 17th 2008 2:23PM]

I expect similar results would occur if the same test was given to intelligent Windows or Linux users. The fact people are at MacWorld generally means they're fairly familiar with field and know what they are talking about and I believe this is more connected to the results than the fact that they use a Mac.

[Rick @ Jan 17th 2008 2:28PM]

What about California as a mental institution? ***adjusts straight jacket***

[Le Master @ Jan 17th 2008 2:48PM]

@Scott G,

Your comment had me in tears, my God.

[Johnny @ Jan 17th 2008 3:24PM]

I nominate this to be THE ENGADGET POST OF THE YEAR!

Man how I just love the polarization of the gadget world. Friggin retards on both sides.

[Josh @ Jan 17th 2008 5:35PM]

@St Dumb Ox

Oh Em Gee, that so happened to me the other day... i am so sorry!

(best post ever by the way - had me rolling on the floor laughing)

[Reader @ Jan 18th 2008 2:16AM]

Gatorade's better...

[JC @ Jan 17th 2008 11:18AM]

In other news, humans need oxygen to live.

[Brooks @ Jan 17th 2008 11:29AM]

Yeah! Go ahead and cut all the trees down. As we know Mac users breathe out pure oxygen. Just find an egotistical fanboy full of hot air and you can live forever!

But really though, it's the people that took this survey that make the level-headed Mac users who really enjoy our computers look like jerks (we're not!)

[StaggerLee @ Jan 17th 2008 1:39PM]

@Brooks -

Yeah they breathe out oxygen, but they breath in their own farts...

They simply can't get enough.

[derX @ Jan 17th 2008 4:37PM]

StaggerLee, love the allusion to South Park, it was soo refreshing especially considering how rarely people make references to animated television shows.

BTW:

Best.

Study.

Ever.

-----------
The best thing about about statistics is you cannot make these things up, oddly enough 57.3% of the population are skeptical about 41.3% of the things they hear.

[Hung @ Jan 17th 2008 5:37PM]

@ Brooks

Right, it's people like the editors of Macworld, Apple employees, Apple enthusiasts, Third-party OSX developers, and all the other people attending Macworld who contribute significantly to Apple and are essential for Apple's success today that are giving users like you a bad rap.

I'm an Ubuntu and Windows user (Note: Not FANBOY. Both suck hard), and even I feel bad for Apple knowing that you're one of its more "level-headed" users.

[roole @ Jan 20th 2008 4:11PM]

Yikes, given that this poll was done at MWSF, it does not include (m)any women.

Can you imagine what these indexes would have scored if women were also included? Especially on attributes such as 'perfectionism,' 'dogmatism,' 'liberalism' and 'superiority'? The scores would be off the charts....

(PS: I am a Mac user).

[Hung @ Jan 22nd 2008 9:12PM]

@ Roole

That's mad sexist and contains strongs undertones of superiority. I'm not sure if you meant to be an ironic example, but good grief!

P.S. It's "indices."

[cullen d @ Jan 17th 2008 11:20AM]

Hah! Brilliant! What we have all been thnking for years, now we have evidence to back it up

[Derbeste @ Jan 17th 2008 12:26PM]

http://www.penny-arcade.com/images/2002/20020712l.gif

This strip is from 2002.

[rndmnme @ Jan 17th 2008 12:39PM]

The key word being "thinking."

I think I would make a great race car driver, the reality is more than likely different.

[Vanillacide @ Jan 17th 2008 12:49PM]

So, how do we think other groups score on this survey?

e.g. Windows user, Linux advocate, Sony PS3 fanboi, 360 head, Wii masses?

[Billy Bear @ Jan 17th 2008 11:24AM]

It is just like the ads - subtly obnoxious and self rightous people - who usually don't know what they are talking about.

[superfresh @ Jan 17th 2008 11:27AM]

Agreed. Their marketing has been highly effective at attracting Apple's desired audience...

Douchebag Mac ad guy, FTW.

[Jeff Lewis @ Jan 17th 2008 2:49PM]

SUBTLY????

[kojo87 @ Jan 17th 2008 5:48PM]

i used to hate those commercials but now they just make me laugh. now they just make erroneous statements like "OSX is better and faster than Windows" without backing them up. its not about buying the better computer anymore, its about paying to join that mindset. they think they can buy coolness.

i suppose it is true though that the vast majority of PC users don't know jackshit about computers and all they do is internet and word processing. if thats all you do then it really makes no difference what OS you use. you might as well be running Windows 95 on a 8 year old PC. that $2K Mac doesnt make a flippin difference.

[Bobs @ Jan 22nd 2008 8:48AM]

Yeah it does, those apple logos dont grow on trees ya know, theyre freakin expensive

[Ethan @ Jan 17th 2008 11:25AM]

I have to agree. I did a test a couple days ago and it was basically that.

However, I think you have to look at the high openness and low dogma scores. Doesn't that mean they'd jump ship if something better comes along, and thus goes against the rabid fanperson stereotype?

Hence the recent backlash at the locked gates of iTunes/iPod/etc.

[Zak @ Jan 17th 2008 11:45AM]

Locked gates? Funny, I could have sworn I could put pretty much whatever the hell I want on an iPod. Like MP3s from Amazon, or ripped from a CD, or torrented, or converted from some other format (which iTunes will even do for you - ironic). Oh yes, it's *such* a closed system.

[Greg @ Jan 17th 2008 11:56AM]

Closed system meaning that you are locked into using iTunes and you can't use a decent media program like Media Monkey or Windows Media Player or WinAMP or Foobar

[Zak @ Jan 17th 2008 11:59AM]

Locked into iTunes how? I don't have a problem using other programs. There are 3rd party apps you can use to transfer files, play music, do whatever the hell you want. I can put all my music into some other program entirely. How am I locked in to iTunes?

[sinai @ Jan 17th 2008 12:06PM]

locked into itunes like, you can't play the songs bought on itunes without third party software. kind of like how microsoft got in trouble for "forcing" users to use internet explorer?

[Zak @ Jan 17th 2008 12:17PM]

So really what you're saying is that you don't like DRM. In case you haven't noticed, iTunes works with non-DRM files just fine. There is no lock. And Microsoft got in toruble with IE because if you removed IE from Windows, Windows would stop working. You couldn't remove it without destroying the OS. What happens if you remove iTunes? Well, nothing. Apple doesn't force you to use anything. If you want to buy files encoded with DRM from the iTunes music store, then you do have to go through iTunes. However since iTunes will also work with non DRM files and so many different formats, it should be pretty obvious that it's not "locked" into anything.

[Ethan @ Jan 17th 2008 12:19PM]

the iTunes store is the market leader in online media sales, and up until a while ago everything it sold would only play on apple's hardware and itunes. Now, most of the music is unrestricted, but they're doing the same with video. Their excuses on licensing the DRM don't really convince me.

But they are at the top for the reason, I think they're the best. But I also think they're abusing that position.

[Paul @ Jan 17th 2008 12:20PM]

@Zak thanks for proving the engadget article right.

[Zak @ Jan 17th 2008 12:26PM]

So you don't like it when Mac users stand up for themselves, huh? I'm sorry, I should know better than to have a backbone. Silly me.

[Phineas J. Whoopie @ Jan 17th 2008 12:30PM]

Locked in, as in proprietary iTunes music format, requiring iTunes to sync, locked down iPhone, 3rd party apps require their yet-to-be-released SDK and mandatory revenue sharing.

Apple would have changed the 3.5mm headphone connector to an iAudio connection or some other nonsense, if they thought they could have gotten away with it.

Why do you think Sony/BMG gave them the finger and opened up their music catalog to Amazon?

[Zak @ Jan 17th 2008 12:34PM]

Locked as in the Apple Store uses AAC? Do you even know what AAC is? Here's a hint: It doesn't stand for "Apple Audio Codec". Look it up in wikipedia. The only reason the songs have to stay in iTunes (legally) is because of the DRM. Not the format they're in. The DRM exists because the studios demanded it, not Apple. The DRM is also licensable, for example Motorola licensed it for the ROKR and RAZR phones, which is why they can play iTunes Store DRM encoded music.

Furthermore, the DRM-free songs from iTunes are not locked in to anything. At all. AAC is an industry standard, not a proprietary format. WMA is a proprietary format. See the difference?

[John @ Jan 17th 2008 12:37PM]

@Zac I've never seen anyone sprout so much shit in all my life.

Microsoft is in trouble for having a browser which is not up to scratch with the rest of the browsers.

And as Paul has said you have proved exactly what the article has said and a whole lot more.

[sinai @ Jan 17th 2008 12:37PM]

i think the point we're trying to make is that apple gets away with shit people would throw a fit for if they caught Microsoft (or for the mentally-challenged: "Micro$oft") doing.

and then steals ideas like system restore, calls it time machine and then accuses microsoft for stealing its ideas.

[Zak @ Jan 17th 2008 1:12PM]

You're both wrong. Microsoft got in trouble because if you removed IE, it would break Windows. IE was literally part of the OS., meaning you didn't have a choice as to which browser you could use. What do you think happens if you remove iTunes or Safari from a Mac? Nothing. Because Apple doesn't force you to use them. See the difference?

[Carl Vitullo @ Jan 17th 2008 1:22PM]

if you own an ipod and delete itunes, you need to redownload it in order to sync it again. THEREFORE, ipod owners are forced to use itunes.

[Me @ Jan 17th 2008 1:35PM]

@Zak
That's bull, sure my system has IE on it, but I and no one else is FORCED to use it to get on the internet. People have had choices in browsers for a long time, Netscape, Firefox, Opera, etc.

[sinai @ Jan 17th 2008 2:02PM]

what about quicktime? if you remove quicktime from OSX, for all intents and purposes, it quits working. it uses a proprietary format (mov) and didn't even let you use Full Screen unless you paid for a PRO version for years up until recently.

what's your point zak?

[Kizorblade @ Jan 17th 2008 2:31PM]

"if you remove quicktime from OSX, for all intents and purposes, it quits working"

NO REALLY?

[CraigJ @ Jan 17th 2008 4:22PM]

Zak is, I think, referring to the Microsoft antitrust suit from the late 90s where Microsoft did in fact get into trouble for bundling IE with windows. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Microsoft) Before you tell Zak he is spewing shit, I suggest you read this Wikipedia article, because Zak is spot on re IE/Windows.

I have no idea where you are getting "locked into iTunes" The only way you are locked in is if you by DRM'd songs from them. That is not Apple, that is the distributor. AAC is not a proprietary format. I have 23GB of music, on my iPod, and not one of the songs is from the iTunes music store. I can play the music on any device, in fact I use Ubuntu as a DAAP server to stream music to iTunes clients.

As far as some of the other stuff being locked down, you have a point, sorta. Was the iPhone sold to you as an open device or as a locked down device? It's not like Apple marketed it as an open development platform. I am personally looking forward to the SDK, and really, I have no problem with Apple getting a cut of the 3rd party apps, as long as I get an easy install via iTunes. I would assume that this arrangement means that the developers need to follow some sort of minimum standards regarding support, etc. I could go on discussing this, since I ran a similar program for a large ERP software company...

[Xzavier @ Jan 17th 2008 4:56PM]

I didn't know that you could remove Quicktime from OS X???

"On the desktop, Mac OS X integrates Quartz, OpenGL, Core Animation, Core Image, and QuickTime, plus other technologies, providing a rich set of graphics capabilities and APIs to application developers."

Second paragraph down.
http://developer.apple.com/graphicsimaging/overview.html

Diagram in Center
http://developer.apple.com/documentation/Porting/Conceptual/PortingUnix/environments/chapter_6_section_3.html

Quicktime is tied into iTunes. If Quicktime ain't working then iTunes might have issues. If iTunes is having issues then Mr. iPod ain't get'en sync tonight! Well, maybe I will sync my iPod up with something else... and maybe not!

Apple might not "FORCE" people to interact with Quicktime, iTunes, etc... but you better believe it that Apple is NOT going to let you use some other app on their platform voluntary! NEVER! It's their CASH COW!

[nikster @ Jan 17th 2008 6:39PM]

Ethan: Spot on, they are abusing their position. The iPhone is the most egregious example. Apple gets close to $1000 over 2 years from every iPhone sold.

Their target - and it looks like they'll hit it- is to sell 10M of these in the first year. That's $10Bn in cold, hard cash! And they are ripping off overseas customers even more, though the lukewarm response in Europe shows it may just be too much.