Intro to Programming chap1

1.1: Understand programs and operating systems (§§1.2–1.4).
1.2: Describe the relationship between Java and the World Wide Web (§1.5).
1.3: Understand Java language specification, API, JDK, and IDE (§1.6).
1.4: Write a simple Java program (§1.7).
1.5: Display output on the console (§1.7).
1.6: Explain the basic syntax of a Java program (§1.7).
1.7: Create, compile, and run Java programs (§1.8).

1.8: Use sound Java programming style and document programs properly (§1.9).
1.9: Explain the differences between syntax errors, runtime errors, and logic errors (§1.10).
1.10: Develop Java programs using NetBeans (§1.11).
1.11: Develop Java programs using Eclipse (§1.12).

Computer programs, also known as software, consist of instructions for the computer.
Programs are essential for the operation of a computer, which is otherwise considered an empty machine.
Since computers cannot understand human languages, they rely on programming languages for communication.

Machine Language: Primitive instructions directly understood by computers, expressed in binary. Difficult and tedious to read/modify.
- Example: Adding two numbers in binary might be expressed as 1101101010011010.

Assembly Language: Simplifies machine language for easier programming. Requires an assembler to convert assembly code to machine code.
- Example: To add numbers, you might write ADDF3 R1, R2, R3.

High-Level Language: More human-readable and easier to learn. Allows complex operations with simple commands.
- Example: To compute the area of a circle with radius 5: area = 3.14 * radius * radius.

Ada: Developed for defense projects, named after Ada Lovelace.
BASIC: Designed for beginners.
C: Combines assembly language's power with ease of use and portability.
C++: An object-oriented language based on C.
C#: Hybrid of Java and C++, developed by Microsoft.
COBOL: Commonly used for business applications.
FORTRAN: Popular for scientific calculations.
Java: Developed by Sun Microsystems for platform-independent Internet applications.
Pascal: A simple, structured language for educational purposes.
Python: General-purpose scripting language, ideal for short programs.
Visual Basic: Developed by Microsoft for rapid GUI development.

Source Code: Written in high-level languages, needs translation into machine code for execution.
Translation Tools:
- Interpreter: Reads and executes code line by line.
- Compiler: Translates entire code into a machine-code file for execution.

Java enables development of applications for various platforms (Internet, servers, desktops, handhelds). It is crucial for Internet programming.
General Purpose: Java is versatile and user-friendly.

Java is adaptable for standalone applications, browser-based applications, and applications for handheld devices and Web servers.

Created by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems, officially released on May 20, 1995 as Java.
Early Java applications included HotJava, the first Java-enabled web browser.

Simple: Easier than C++ and designed for clarity.
Object-Oriented: Fully supports OOP principles like encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism.
Distributed: Facilitates distributed computing across networks.
Interpreted: Compiled to bytecode, which is machine-independent and runnable anywhere with a JVM.
Robust: Detects many errors at compile-time, reducing runtime issues.
Secure: Incorporates security mechanisms to protect from harmful code.
Architecture-Neutral: Write once, run anywhere.
Portable: Can run on any platform without recompilation.
Performance: Improved over years with updates.
Multithreaded: Integrates thread programming smoothly.
Dynamic: Adapts to evolving environments with minimal updates.

History: JDK 1.0 to current versions, providing enhancements and new features across releases.

Best practices for writing clear, maintainable Java code.
- Comments: Summarize program functionality.
- Naming Conventions: Use descriptive class names.
- Indentation and Spacing: Maintain readability with appropriate indentation and blank lines.