College "java" paper.....a couple opinions?

so here is the deal, i start a college java class in two days, and trying to prepare. i have a 5 page paper to write on the "popularity of java" just looking for a few opinions, i am googling and do research work as well, but open to everything, just a couple questions for you guys since im just starting with java programming....

here are the 3 basic questions, feel free to answer all, one or none! but thanks in advance....

How is java used in the industry?

Why is java so widely used?

What features of java make it popular?

i looked down through all the subforum headings, assumed this was the best place, but mods, feel free to move this thread if you have/need to....thanks guys.

How is java used in the industry?

Why is java so widely used?
1. It is free
2. It is designed to be secure
3. It is multi-platform

What features of java make it popular?
1. It is free
2. It is multi-platform
3. Wonderful java help websites

How is java used in the industry?
Applets for online services, such as logins, FTP, and those kind of things. There are also Java applications that are used internally within software companies, though I don't see many of these making it to the outside world.

Why is java so widely used?
It's one of few multiplatform languages that can handle online execution or be executed locally (Applets & Applications). The libraries are quick and easy to install for the end user and it's mostly bug free. My $0.02 on security though: it's not very secure, because it runs on a VM. When C++ is compiled it's converted to bytecode (decompiled as assembly), whereas Java runs through the Virtual Machine and can (with a bit of work) be decompiled by the user. However, it's more secure than something like Python, where you have to distribute the source whenever publishing a project.

What features of java make it popular?
Popular to learn or popular to use? It's a great way for prospective programmers to learn to use a programming language, as it's easy to test (compiling is quick and easy and in some IDEs not even necessary), errors are pretty simple to decode, and it's not a time consuming process to use incremental programming.

thanks guys i appreciate the feedback, and i certainly will use some of those points.

open to any and all other opinions as well. Thanks everyone.

thank you guys for your info so far, can i narrow this down and ask another question?

the reasons why java is used, and the features of java, i am able to find alot of info on.

what is harder to find is where java is used. i know "everywhere" but like specific things....

so i guess the question is how is it used in:

Production
Customer Service
Gaming
Mobile Devices

thanks again guys. i have been googling for days, and able to find tons of features and benefits of java, but less able to find specifically the areas java is deployed.

I can give a bit of an answer in relation to its usage in gaming:

One of the largest MMORPG games ever, Runescape, is written as a Java applet. At least one other, smaller RPG, Puzzle Pirates, is written in Java as an easily downloaded client that self-installs. There are also several smaller games written by Jagex (Runescape) and Three Rings (Puzzle Pirates) that run as applets or Web Start/Self-installing apps. However, I have yet to come across a commercial java game that is in any way similar to the ones written in non-interpreted languages.

So, Java is used mostly for applets/clients for games. After all, that's what it was designed for. Java also seems to be used for RPG games that don't have the kind of constant computation/rendering used in other types of games. That may just be the internet-based nature of the games it is used for, however.

In one of my latest projects I used Java in a kidney dialysis monitoring tool; I wrote a bit about it here. It was a hell of a project.

kind regards,

Jos