Agreed, most people are idiots and/or under informed.
Uber or Lyft I think you could get support for being non tech companies and personally I could probably be convinced on Facebook as a company which only utilizes technology and the Internet for business. Suggesting that Google and similar companies are not tech companies however is a bit of an overreach. Intel is indeed a tech company since they physically make it, but this is only 1 of the definitions of the word technology. (Let's not forget that Google isn't just a search engine or research company, they actually invent real things too) It would be like saying most mobile phone companies are not tech companies because Foxconn actually builds them. Having and applying the knowledge is just as much tech as the physical chips themselves; or would you prefer hardware without software?

While a phone is indeed a locating device in order to function there is an extremely large difference between your cellphone company being able to locate you at a single moment in time should the need arise and "some company" storing everyone's location over time in order to build trend information and knowledge about you, your home, behaviour, family/friends, place of work, etc. A single point in time tells you nothing, even between 1-4am there is no guarantee on that day of that year you were asleep much less that you were at home, but tracking people over time does just this and is indeed frightening and literally defines digital stalking.

This didn't need a study, a little common sense would have sufficed. Students who aren't invested in their own learning/future -distracted, disinterested or otherwise- will obviously not score well when tested on the material. Don't blame the laptops, blame the kids without focus dedication or self control.

I don't know what the record for comma use in a short blurb is, but this must be close. Hopefully the FCC is getting a cut of that extra profit so they can hire an editor...

By extension, nothing can be patented. Any idea or concept which is currently patented is expressed through language. I agree that the code itself should not be patented as it is indeed a form of language, but the implementation or methodology by which an application achieves an end result is the true value that needs to be protected; not the package it comes in. All that being said, I'm definitely in favour of open source happy-happy code sharing instead of patents and copyrights.

Exactly right, not to mention a large portion of the code from SO was copied from somewhere else to start with. Simply find your answer there, spend 2 seconds looking for the same answer somewhere else and copy that instead. Assuming anyone is paranoid enough to think there will be any consequence for a breach that can't possibly be monitored.

I don't know what's worse. The fact that this story is true or the headline's grammar... I hope they intended plurality and missed the possessive Dictionaries', but it would make far more sense to be Dictionary's. I guess proper grammar doesn't mean anything to a dictionary these days...

And there's nothing wrong with punishment without someone dying. If someone destroyed your car (physically or digitally) there is harm done to your wallet regardless. Of course as has been said repeatedly it is not yours nor my wallet/life/<important thing here> this is aimed at protecting.

completely agree on both of these! I would also say yatzee and scrabble are must haves. I always find myself replaying Super Mario 1 and 3, so personally I'd include them as well.

I don't mean to be picky, but this statement deviates as far as you can from instilling confidence or stating a fact. This equates to "definitely might", "100% maybe", "completely possible" or <insert your favourite overly supported flip-flop statement here>. While I certainly don't doubt COBOLs use in the banking system; unsubstantiated 'facts' are merely opinions. Java is embedded in everything these days and large companies hate change. While its evolution will probably cease to exist in the near future, Java isn't going anywhere.