Chapter 1. Introducing Java

When you encounter the word Java, what comes to mind? Do you imagine a delicious steaming cup of coffee? Does your mind reflect on a beautiful tropical island in the Indonesian island chain—a place where you might spend your next vacation? Or are you curious about a technology called Java that is causing quite a stir in the computer industry—a technology that has made Microsoft very nervous? If you are curious about this Java technology, you've picked up the right book. In this book, you'll learn how to use Java to create a new and exciting "breed" of computer programs.

Chapter 1 presents the following topics:

• What is Java?

• A brief history of Java

• The Java Development Kit

• Applications

• Applets