JavaScript is not Java: Difference between revisions

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==A source of much confusion==
==A source of much confusion==
[[JavaScript]] is a completely separate technology from [[Java]]. Unfortunately, Java was the ‘in thing’ back in the days when [[wikipedia:Brendan Eich | Brendan Eich]] at [[wikipedia:Netscape Communications Corporation | Netscape]] created a programming language that was originally going to be called LiveScript, so they decided to rename it from LiveScript to JavaScript in the hope of catching the media’s interest.
[[Javascript]] is a completely separate technology from [[Java]]. Unfortunately, Java was the ‘in thing’ back in the days when [[wikipedia:Brendan Eich | Brendan Eich]] at [[wikipedia:Netscape Communications Corporation | Netscape]] created a programming language that was originally going to be called LiveScript, so they decided to rename it from LiveScript to JavaScript in the hope of catching the media’s interest.


A [[wikipedia:JavaScript | JavaScript]] script is usually a small series of commands that are often embedded in a webpage to do things like create fly-out menus, invoke pop-up windows, and validate form data. ''(Note, that JavaScript is a real programming language in which parts of [[XUL]]-based applications like [[Firefox]], [[Thunderbird]] and [[Mozilla Suite]] are written.)'' JavaScript support is built in all XUL-based applications.
A [[wikipedia:JavaScript | Javascript]] script is usually a small series of commands that are often embedded in a webpage to do things like create fly-out menus, invoke pop-up windows, and validate form data. ''(Note, that Javascript is also a real programming language in which parts of [[XUL]]-based applications like [[Firefox]], [[Thunderbird]] and [[Mozilla Suite]] are written.)'' Javascript support is built in all XUL-based applications.


[[wikipedia:Java programming language | Java]] is another programming language cross-platform technology which is used to create complicated things like games. These programs can also be embedded in webpages, in which case they are called ‘applets’.  
[[wikipedia:Java programming language | Java]] is another programming language which is used to create complicated things like games. These programs can also be embedded in webpages, in which case they are called ‘applets’.
Java applets require additional software ([[wikipedia:Java virtual machine |Java virtual machine]] aka Java Runtime Environment) to be installed on your system. See [[Java]] page for details.
Java applets require additional software ([[wikipedia:Java virtual machine |Java virtual machine]] aka Java Runtime Environment) to be installed on your system. See [[Java]] page for details.

Revision as of 16:39, 27 February 2005

A source of much confusion

Javascript is a completely separate technology from Java. Unfortunately, Java was the ‘in thing’ back in the days when Brendan Eich at Netscape created a programming language that was originally going to be called LiveScript, so they decided to rename it from LiveScript to JavaScript in the hope of catching the media’s interest.

A Javascript script is usually a small series of commands that are often embedded in a webpage to do things like create fly-out menus, invoke pop-up windows, and validate form data. (Note, that Javascript is also a real programming language in which parts of XUL-based applications like Firefox, Thunderbird and Mozilla Suite are written.) Javascript support is built in all XUL-based applications.

Java is another programming language which is used to create complicated things like games. These programs can also be embedded in webpages, in which case they are called ‘applets’. Java applets require additional software (Java virtual machine aka Java Runtime Environment) to be installed on your system. See Java page for details.