the ability to see if you have a single reference (a feature of reference counting) is a feature needed to optimize string and collection types

What is that? Are you referring to weak variables where the reference goes to nil when the underlying object does? Garbage Collection systems have such references also (Java for one).

In none of the cases you listed were your own personal resources put forth, it was either transactions or freely given information (which as I stated earlier, knowledge transfer I feel is free speech and not aid).

Using your own gas and wear and tear on a car is quite clearly aid, just as donating even a single dollar to ISIS knowingly would be. The punishment may seem disproportionate and that could be argued, but not the fact they gave aid...

"Hey, I'm gong over to Syria to kill westerners and enslave Christians for the raping and whatnot. Give me a lift?"

How is that not aid?

If he didn't know, that would be one thing. But the Twitter stuff makes it seem pretty likely he did know why the guy was going...

The advising on use of bitcoin should be allowed under free speech, but aiding someone to become a fighter seems pretty far over the line as far as aid to a terrorist organization goes...

The item you have filed a complaint for was in fact explicitly authorized by "Net Neutrality". Have a nice day.

That's pretty interesting, I have usually used linear in place of O(n) just because more people can understand it... but I can't imaging how someone could use the term "linear" when it's obviously not. At least he didn't say constant...

In the keynote they announced Swift being open source later this year, including releasing versions for Linux...

Having done over a decade of backend work in the past, I think it would make a pretty good server language also. It's all about the libraries and frameworks that support what you are trying to do.

Swift was mentioned on CNN here

It was also mentioned on BBC here...

I've seen mentions of it all over, on a lot of non-tech web-sites. That has been kind of amazing.

Coding is starting to matter more, especially as black hats affect more and more people - so people are starting to care about it more generally, even if they don't really understand details yet.

They are called Stunt Men. Do we all not see a movie when a stunt man dies filming it? No.

In the gladiatorial ring, the combatant MIGHT NOT die. There might be a pardon. The difference is only in degree, not kind.

The question it poses is, how could such an advanced culture have staged such bloody spectacles?

So I take it you've not seen a movie made in the last 20 years?

This really brings to mind the XKCD comic about the wrench and the password...

You could spend a lot of effort hacking an opener OR just break a window and go in to get the better stuff.

I find ut pretty amusing to call me an "old man" when your response is to go find some paper maps...

Digital Density is the realm of the young, my friend.

Really you want to know how long it takes, or how many miles it takes

So, um, like, that's what a scale bar TELLS YOU. Without having to click "directions". Especially for walking directions.

"Republicans Against Fracking"

"Even though Fracking causes no environmental harm - it must be stopped!"

HMM.

Spider Man, Spider Man.

Discovers silk can't hold a grown Man.

Look out! There falls the Spider Man!