<P> The original and reference implementation Java compilers, virtual machines, and class libraries were originally released by Sun under proprietary licenses . As of May 2007, in compliance with the specifications of the Java Community Process, Sun relicensed most of its Java technologies under the GNU General Public License . Others have also developed alternative implementations of these Sun technologies, such as the GNU Compiler for Java (bytecode compiler), GNU Classpath (standard libraries), and IcedTea - Web (browser plugin for applets). </P> <P> The latest version is Java 11, released on September 25, 2018, which follows Java 10 after only six months in line with the new release schedule . Java 8 is still supported but there will be no more security updates for Java 9 . Versions earlier than Java 8 are supported by companies on a commercial basis; e.g. by Oracle back to Java 6 as of October 2017 (while they still "highly recommend that you uninstall" pre-Java 8 from at least Windows computers). </P> <P> James Gosling, Mike Sheridan, and Patrick Naughton initiated the Java language project in June 1991 . Java was originally designed for interactive television, but it was too advanced for the digital cable television industry at the time . The language was initially called Oak after an oak tree that stood outside Gosling's office . Later the project went by the name Green and was finally renamed Java, from Java coffee . Gosling designed Java with a C / C++ - style syntax that system and application programmers would find familiar . </P> <P> Sun Microsystems released the first public implementation as Java 1.0 in 1996 . It promised "Write Once, Run Anywhere" (WORA), providing no - cost run - times on popular platforms . Fairly secure and featuring configurable security, it allowed network - and file - access restrictions . Major web browsers soon incorporated the ability to run Java applets within web pages, and Java quickly became popular . The Java 1.0 compiler was re-written in Java by Arthur van Hoff to comply strictly with the Java 1.0 language specification . With the advent of Java 2 (released initially as J2SE 1.2 in December 1998--1999), new versions had multiple configurations built for different types of platforms . J2EE included technologies and APIs for enterprise applications typically run in server environments, while J2ME featured APIs optimized for mobile applications . The desktop version was renamed J2SE . In 2006, for marketing purposes, Sun renamed new J2 versions as Java EE, Java ME, and Java SE, respectively . </P>

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