I've heard this tossed around few times, but never really a source. The wiki page says it was designed for home appliances, but never really references a toaster. Anyone have a source?
3 Answers
Originally it was designed (by Sun's James Gosling) for embedded systems, in particular mobile devices such as e.g. cell phones. See e.g. http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/overview/javahistory-index-198355.html
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2So it was invented for a cable remote control. +1 for the real answer. :) Feb 18, 2011 at 18:59
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1The thing they were thinking long and hard about was "how can we execute arbitrary downloaded code, and still be in control".– user1249Feb 19, 2011 at 9:37
No, but I have to admit, sometimes it makes me feel like it was.
Embedded systems was one of the target markets though, there were even some attempts at developing processors that would run native Java bytecode.
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@mmyers Yeah, I remember that. There was something similar planned for Transmeta Crusoes too. It never quite caught on though.– biziclopFeb 18, 2011 at 19:02
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www.ajile.com make a CPU running a JRE in embedded hardware. They are great for embedded, as the java code is very reliable. Power consumption is less than a watt, at 100% CPU, down to nanowatts when asleep. Mar 4, 2011 at 1:04
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@mmyers en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAJC "...processor was targeted at running Java programs..."– gnatFeb 17, 2012 at 18:44
My pen runs java. LiveScribe. I think I first started to see Java being used around 1996 or 1997? All my memories of it at that time were that it was big on the write once run anywhere deal, running on any device, but particularly in a browser as applets. Then I recall Microsoft came in with a competing JVM that "extended" Java to run specific Windows functionality. Not conclusive, but hopefully interesting.
popup();is in afinallyblock.