Survey: Mac users more educated, eat more hummus

By CNET's Chris Matyszczyk

There can never be enough surveys about the differences between those who use Macs and those armed with PCs.

Somehow, new information always emerges. Yes, it might be total nonsense. But it's the sort of total nonsense that makes the world the wonderful place it is.

Hunch - the brainspawn of, among others, Flickr founder Caterina Fake - is a site that claims to personalize the Internet by infusing your laptop with your body odor (or something like that).

More importantly, it took answers from 388,315 people and then cross-referenced the data with other questionnaires in order to cull vital computing information.

The aim? To create a definitive and multi-layered analysis of what makes a Mac user a Mac user and what makes a PC user someone who doesn't throw many parties.

No, I am not being unusually mean.

This data suggests that Mac users are 50 percent more likely to frequently throw parties than PC users. Does this mean that Mac users are more sociable? Or that PC users are all chained-to-their-desk functionaries?

I wouldn't dare to declare.

These wonderful figures also suggest that Mac users are younger, slightly better at the verbal side of life, and - um - rather more educated.

There are some terribly strange assertions about PC people, however. On the one hand, they are, apparently, "26 percent more likely to prefer fitting in with others." This might suggest a certain lamb-like quality. And yet they are also "33 percent more likely than Mac people to say that two random people are more different than alike."

Does this mean that PC people are conflicted between their need for acceptance and their blistering critical faculties? Again, I merely put the facts out there. Others must chew on them like steaks tossed to starving Rottweilers.

Perhaps less surprising is that PC users would choose a Harley over a Vespa, whereas the reverse is true of those sensitive, Euro-leaning Mac types.

And when it comes to one of the fundamentals of personality type - french fries - there is massive divergence. PC users apparently will content themselves with fries from McDonald's. Not so those hummus-munching (yes, it's proven by this survey) Macboys and girls. For they will choose to thrust their cash at bistro-type fries. (Are they sure McDonald's don't supply those to bistros?)

This might cause a little consternation, though: Mac users are, apparently, 21 percent more likely to believe they are "computer-savvy gearheads."

Oh, how the ego can cloud one's judgment.

Still, PC users favor Rachel Maddow and Jay Leno over Jon Stewart and "60 Minutes." Perhaps they are simply not gearheady enough to know how to make the remote control move to a channel not owned by NBC.

So I leave you with your hackles and your wrenches raised, hoping that this data will either be debunked or confirmed in a fair fight, each round lasting no longer than 30 minutes. I have embedded Gisele Bundchen and a couple of computer-types in order to offer you respite, should you need it.