Don't know beans? Try Java

It's hard to believe that Java has been around for just four short years (1996-2000). For several years, IT managers and system developers have been regarding Java with a watchful eye, waiting for the programming language to realize its much-vaunted potential. Today, with the explosion in e-commerce, Java is assuming an important role in front-end graphical user interfaces (GUIs), multitiered server applications, and mobile agents. Businesses are using Java in these applications because its platform independence, downloadability, and built-in security make it the implementation language of choice for online business applications. To better assess where Java fits into your organization's business systems, it's helpful to know how the language developed and where Java's developers are taking it.