Chapter 1. Introduction To Java

Before 1995 the average person thought Java was a large Indonesian island or perhaps a hot beverage you took with cream and sugar. Today anyone with any background in computer programming knows that Java is one of the most popular and influential programming languages. Java has become the standard for developing Web-based enterprise applications, particularly business and multimedia type programs. It is a very telling point that other languages, Fortran for example, are evolving to become more Java-like in form and function.

A lot of the same things that make Java a great programming language for business and multimedia applications—simplicity, flexibility, versatility, robustness—make Java a great language for developing ...

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