1123hugh - I strongly recommend you do some research, or even better, read through the old Dilberts. Topper is a character who has appeared in Dilbert that always has to respond with thoughts along the line of "I did it better" or "The same thing happened to me but more spectacular" etc.
Anyway, the people I know who are like this are either stroking their egos by trying to impress you about how 'smart' they are, or they honestly think they are being helpful. Either way, I can do without them.