Java
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Java,
the general-purpose programming language
is one of the most prominent
developments in terms of communication and the World Wide Web. It also
represents one of Alberta's numerous ties to advanced computer and
communications technology.
The Problem
In 1991, Sun Microsystems in California knew they had a serious
problem. Top developers within its programming team were threatening to
quit due to the increasing number of devices that Sun supported. The
problem was not the devices themselves but the differences in platforms they had to deal with when
programming. There was no common platform, and thus each computer or
electronic device often had its own individual hardware or software
system. Worse, different platforms often used different programming
languages. Without a single interconnecting language, electronic devices
could not communicate or share information with one another.
This was a problem that affected the entire computing and electronics
industry. Tiny, inexpensive computer controls were built into everything
from cars to microwaves and due to platform differences, they were
incapable of communicating with each other. James Gosling, a Sun
Microsystems developer, recognized a huge potential market. Gosling had
been with the company since 1984, after growing up near Calgary and
receiving a bachelor of computing science degree from the University of
Calgary.
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