Java's Growth in the Sun

After the Oak-meets-Internet epiphany, James and the team at Sun developed a host of technologies around the concept of a universally deployable language and platform. One of their first tasks was to develop the Java-compatible browser known as HotJava (although the early versions had the much cooler name WebRunner, after the movie Blade Runner). Figure 1.2 shows the original HotJava browser.

On May 23, 1995, one of the defining moments in the history of computing occurred. The then-young Netscape Corporation agreed to integrate Java into its almost universally popular Navigator Web browser, thus creating an unprecedented audience for the Java software.

Soon programmers from all across the globe flooded the Java Web site to download the new platform. Sun completely underestimated the platform's popularity and struggled to upgrade bandwidth to cope with the rush. Before anyone realized iteven those watching it happensomething changed in the IT world. Kicking and screaming, Java had arrived.

Development of the Java platform continued aggressively over the following years, with the subsequent release of a great deal of supporting technology. New editions, especially one targeting enterprise software development, have arguably become more popular than the original technology.

However, one thing remains the same for meI still choose Java over any other language. The code is simpler, the development is faster, and the bugs are easier to find. It just works almost everywhere.