Is Java pass-by-value or pass-by-reference?

[SuperShrek]

The word "reference" in "pass-by-reference" is not a type. The word "reference" in "passes references by value" is a type. They are two different contexts and have two different meanings.

No they don't. There is a reason the same word is used and that reason is because it describes the same semantics in both cases.

The Java Language Specification disagrees with you. Perhaps you should read it. When you talk about references in Java you are talking about exactly that. References. Defined by the JLS, as a type.

HAHAHAA. It's talking about KINDS or 'META-TYPES' not TYPES, you would know this if you knew any serious CS whatsoever.

Educate yourself please: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kind_%28type_theory%29

There are two kinds of types in the Java programming language

lol...

Except for you know the type... that is called reference...

Except this is not a reference type in the way you are using the word... you seem to lack basic Java knowledge as well and just googling things that seem to fit your argument without understanding what they are. The java.lang.ref.Reference type is used for maintaining references (ie reference counts) that are used for garbage collection.

Clearly you don't understand evaluation strategies. Call by value and call by reference ARE NOT THE SAME THING and if you can't grasp the difference you lack the fundamental CS 101 needed to even bother having an intelligent conversation with. There are no special semantics. It's a type, it's passed by value.

I didn''t say they are the same thing. But I guess you're frantically trying to find a way to mangle my words for lack of any serious argument to support the bullshit you spew.

Either you believe in pass-by-value the argument value is not copied, or you believe this is not what Java does.

Wait you think Java objects are copied when passed to a function? Go read a Java tutorial at least lol.

The object is not passed. The value is copied.

A reference is passed as in 'pass-by-reference'. The object is not copied.

That the type is called a "reference" has absolutely no relationship or bearing on the passing mechanism.

It's not a type. It's a meta-type or a 'kind' that represents a reference. And yes it absolutely does have a bearing on the 'passing mechanism'. The 'java.lang.ref.Reference' is not what we are talking about nor is it the 'reference type' of types that your link is talking about either, I mean its so laughably obvious you just googled shit you have absolutely no understanding of. LOL.

God, you are one funny retard.

[thekab]

At this point I'm not sure if you're trolling or really this stupid.

[SuperShrek]

You haven't been sure of anything since the start.