What caused the Vietnam War (1964-1973) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

What caused the Vietnam War (1964-1973) - Essay Example Historians gauge the impact of the Vietnam conflict not only on casualty figure and geographic coverage but also on its length, intensity and global repercussions. For instance, the war in Vietnam played a great importance in the geopolitical sense since it became a flashpoint in the Cold War. Furthermore, the war took place in a turbulent period of human history and became intertwined with other social upheavals which almost brought down the American body politic. The aim of this paper is to analyze the roots and the underlying factors that led to the US intervention in the Vietnam conflict. In the process, it is hoped that this would shed light to the phenomenon which marked significant failures specifically in US international policies and the end-result of the nine-year conflict. Looking back at history, one will find that the US interest in Vietnam did not start with the administrations of John F. Kennedy and Dwight D. Eisenhower. It started with the American policy of containment in the aftermath of the Second World War against the spread of communism and the growing power of the USSR. Andrew Wiest (2002) explored this aspect in his book, The Vietnam War: In each case the scale of the threats precluded the use of massive force, so avoiding the buildup to a nuclear exchange. The US chose to adopt a policy of limited war, hoping to avoid a superpower showdown and in many ways the war in Vietnam became the main example of the US limited war policy.2 After the fall of imperial Japan, Ho Chi Minh proclaimed the independence of Democratic Republic of Vietnam and drafted a constitution along with a form of government based on the American model, hoping for a continued American support. He sought the help of the United States in establishing a new Vietnam but he was ignored. The American supported France’s attempt at regaining its colonies in Indochina, hence the war between the French forces

Johannesburg Sustainability Essay Example for Free

Johannesburg Sustainability Essay The purpose of this report is to advise the Johannesburg City Government on ways to reduce carbon emissions within the city of Johannesburg, South Africa. Johannesburg City (Joburg) is listed as a participant with the C40 Cities initiative, in an effort to tackle the environmental issues of global warming and climate change. This initiative was established as a leadership programme from representatives from major cities around the world, and aims to be at the forefront in encouraging sustainable practices in our urban areas (c40cities online, 2011). It is important then to clearly define what sustainability is. From information provided in the Open University course material, a sustainable city is an urban environment in which its inhabitants lead fulfilling lives and are able to meet their material and social needs without damaging the environment it co-exists with (The Open University, Block 6, 2010. p 22-23). Further to this a sustainable city should have a long-term perspective which allows it to produce its own resources. With this being said, Joburg finds itself faced with many, unnecessarily high, carbon producing activities such as a high volume of personal cars users and obtaining energy from older technologies and non-renewable sources just to name a few. These practices are typical of major cities across the planet and represent the unsustainable development of human activities without regard for the environment we live in. Taking action to promote sustainability, like the C40 Cities initiative, is the reason why this report has been drafted for Joburg. In particular this report will focus on carbon emissions, their sources within the Joburg boundaries and effect on global warming, and then present ways in which to combat the currently inadequate carbon producing activities that Joburg is experiencing. Finally the report will conclude with a summary of the key points discussed in the making the case and the proposal sections. Recommendations on the information presented will be put forward which is in alignment with the purpose of this report: sustainability through reducing carbon emissions. Making The Case: Joburg has an important role in making itself a sustainable city because of its influence, not only on the surrounding environment, but as a leading city in gold production in South Africa. The large population of nearly 3.9 million inhabitants means the carbon footprint that Joburg produces will have a significant value and hence add to the issues of global warming and climate change. In a report published by a South African company, Metorex Ltd., the CO2 equivalent will not only minimise the effect of Joburgs carbon footprint on a global scale, but also act as a role model for other cities in Southern Africa. Cities like Joburg facilitate enormous flows of both people and material within them. These flows of people and material contribute to the character of the city and its ability to adapt to change. It is this ability to adapt to change which will be the greatest obstacle in combating global warming and climate change, as reluctance to take the necessary steps in securing our future will lead to devastating consequences. Consequences, as suggested by Block 6 could involve heat waves, flooding, and rising sea level. Creating cities which are flexible, as sustainable cities are, and which can cope with these environmental scenarios will undoubtedly go along way to sustaining quality of life in not only Joburg, but around the planet too. What better place to encourage change than to start with the economic institutions which pull people from across the country in search of better earning opportunity. In South Africa Joburg is such a city and is seen as the economic hub of South Africa, contributing to over a third of the countries Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 11% of Africas GDP ( South Africa Online, 2011). According to Block 6 Open University course material, encouraging activities which would lead to sustainability in Joburg could lead to the following results: Improved energy efficiency leading to lower bills and lower demand for power; Development of new a new market in the midst of a lively economic market; Better quality of life for inhabitants owing to reductions in pollution (air, water and waste) and finally more efficient production of goods and services for domestic consumption as a result of innovative technologies. These are just a few of the more obvious advantages of creating a city with sustainabl e practices. So where does one start when implementing eco-friendly strategies? Why not with the authority in which the inhabitants of the city put their trust the Johannesburg City Government. As the leading authority in making decisions which directly affect the daily running of the city, Joburg will be following other leading cities, like London, in gaining the political support it needs to back the changes it wishes to make. Its no surprise that political support will be needed in gaining momentum to implement and manage Eco-legislature. When the City Government puts its political weight behind notions like sustainable building designs, renewable energy sources, heavier car tax for large motor vehicles and more efficient waste management, then the mind-set of the consumer, business man, company, conglomerate, institution or society as a whole changes and realises that these regulations will come into affect and its best to get onboard, or suffer the consequential penalties. Therefore as a leading decision-maker, the Johannesburg City Government should be best placed to initiate schemes and programs that effectively lead to gaining momentum needed in providing the tools for â€Å"greener living†. The proposal addresses 4 key areas which I believe are fundamental starting blocks to creating a sustainable Joburg. There are many more concepts or ideas which would further decrease CO2 emissions, hence contributing to sustainability, however I will be submitting just 4 key concepts that in my opinion should be put into action immediately. Firstly, the City Transport commuter system needs development. Currently Joburg offers its inhabitants transportation in the form of busses and city trains. In a statement by Flora Mokgohloa, the Executive Director of Environment in the City, she says that the Bus Rapid Transit (BRP) scheme introduced in 2008, was introduced in an effort to reduce carbon emissions by up to 1.6million tons by 2020 (Flora Mokgohloa, 2010). The fact that commuters are only offered this form of transport within the city, apart from the trains which take it passengers to scattered stations, based too far away from each other to be an effective commuter transport syst em, forces commuters to seek other forms of more efficient transport – like using multi people carrier taxis. This in effect, fore-gos the CO2 emissions saved because of the excess taxi emissions caused in response to the search for an affordable transport service. A solution to this could be an incorporation of the the â€Å"City Bike† scheme that major cities such as Amsterdam, Paris and London have taken on. With specific stations positioned in the central business district within of Sandton, Alexandra and Randburg this could cut down congestion of traffic and therefore also make it more efficient. Not to mention the reductions in CO2 emissions will also lead to a healthier, cleaner environment. Joburgs physical landscape is flat, thus use of a central City Bike scheme combined with â€Å"Car-Free† Zones or Zero-CO2 emissions zones could booster a walking, riding or electric personal transport commuter system within the city itself. Laying infrastructure such as bike pathways or electric motorised vehicle lanes would not be too much of a hassle as the reduction in traffic wo uld lead to the the use of one of the numerous multi-lanes available from the current transport infrastructure. City Structure is another important key development area. As suggested in Block 6 by the Mayor of London, Mr Boris Johnson, all new building greater than a certain size needs to obtain its right to be built after scrutiny by the Mayor himself (Course DVD Mayors Speech, 2008). In his scrutiny, the building should pass a number of prerequisites before being given the thumbs up to advance. Among these requirements are the ability of the building to produce 10% of its energy from a renewable source above others. If introduced in Joburg, this could lead to further development of renewable resource suppliers who look to supply the demand for energy from a renewable source. Alternatively the new building could use its own form of energy creation through Solar or wind power. These are 2 greatly abundant sources of energy not yet fully tapped by the South African market. The technology exists, is in use in Joburg already in the form of the â€Å"Cosmo City† scheme, essentially a solar water heater system however the demand has lacked and thus not supported further development (Joburg Online, 2011). With the enforcement of more rigid building requirements and energy management supply and manage- Further to this, Joburgs current city structure is the dictionary definition of urban crawl. Put simply, the city has stretched out horizontally and not utilized its potential space in the 3D arena. By this I refer to the large area it occupies (it is the largest city in South Africa) and with this lateral extension come greater energy consumption, as suggested by Richard Register in Block 6 (Block 6, 2010. p 129). By setting a required height limit that guarantees a building height and minimalises developments which simply occupies horizontal space. Adding to this could be â€Å"green† incentives like vertical farms for example. Also by narrowing the spaces between building structures, less distance is travelled by commuters, more shade is provided and the opportunity for wind to be tunneled throughout the city arises, leading to even less energy consumption by use of air conditioner on hot summer days. This also answers to the logic of access by proximity. Thus in using the natural landscape the city itself can be evolved, as likened to a living Eco-system in Block 6, to produce natural ways to regulate Joburgs temperature. Joburg gets its power from the only energy producer in South Africa, Eskom. This company as the only supplier with a national grid, controls the energy market as a monopoly. However there are renewable energy opportunities in available in South Africa. Firstly, sitting just outside the tropics, South Africa sees enough sunshine a year to promote the efficient use of solar power. Combined with this the terrain of the country itself is conducive to use of wind-turbine farms. The problem lies with the fact that these are relatively new technologies which are more expensive and which have little demand in South Africa. Cities like Joburg do not have the need for a more expensive energy supplier when there is a cheaper form through Eskom. Government subsidies, as used in the UK with Natural Gas Installations (Course DVD Mayors Speech, 2008), and more rigid requirements for use of renewable sources of energy, could as stated above promote growth in a clean energy supplier market. Initially this is expensive, as subsidies provided by the government will mean cuts elsewhere to eco-projects, however in the long-run (as stated, with the intention of a long-term prospect) the cost of supplying renewable energy will decrease as new technologies become available. In the mean time, using decentralised combined heat and power plants will offset the extra CO2 emissions caused by unnecessary heating in nearby establishments when heat can be harvested and distributed locally from the production of power (Block 6, 2010. p 80). Finally the Education of city dwellers/businesses and role of the media is an important factor in the regulation and management of all â€Å"green† initiatives. This is because it helps build the momentum needed to gather support from the state, market and society spheres. Local inhabitants want to feel like what they have to say matters and is taken into consideration when plans for green-initiatives are implemented, and rather a part of the solution. Educating the inhabitants, by holding regular conferences, exhibitions, information evenings in low-income household areas will go a long way to gaining support and ease the process of implementing larger scale initiatives. The role of the media in the development of London shows that even laws can be influence when enough support is gathered and represented (Block 6, 2010.p 54). Conclusion: In summary, the Johannesburg City Government has been presented with information on why Joburg needs to be a sustainable city. Adding to this, what it means to be a sustainable city and hence its importance for Joburg as an economic hub was highlighted. Following this, 4 key concepts to the future initial development of Joburg were discussed. Each highlighted the need for a commanding authority who: has weight with legislation, a decent budget to throw towards greeninitiatives and the governing and management power to regulate and these initiatives. When an educated society gathers momentum, with the help of the Joburg market and the endorsement of Local Government (the state), it is then that Joburg will start to realise its â€Å"green† potential. References The Open University (2009) U116 Environment: journeys through a changing world, Block 6, Ê »Cities and sustainabilityÊ ¼, Milton Keynes, The Open University. U116 DVD; Block 6, Part 2; Role of political leadership: Mayors Speech c40cities Online, 2011. â€Å"About the c40 †, http://www.c40cities.org/about/, [Accessed: 05/06/2011]. Metorex Ltd Online, 2011. â€Å"Metorex Carbon Footprint Report†, http://www.metorexgroup.com/cmsAdmin/uploads/20110509_MtxCarbonFootprintAnaly sis.pdf , [Accessed: 07/06/2011] http://www.southafrica.to/provinces/Gauteng/towns/Johannesburg/Johannesburg.htm , [Accessed: 05/06/2011] Naidoo, R. 2010. â€Å"Plan to cut gas emissions†, http://www.joburg.org.za/index.phpoption=com_contentview=articleid=4922catid=1 20Itemid=201 , [Accessed: 06/06/2011] Khalianyane, L. 2011. â€Å"Energy Effiency in Spotlight†, http://www.joburg.org.za/index.phpoption=com_contentview=articleid=6713catid=8 8Itemid=266 , [Accessed: 06/06/2011]

The relationship between board diversity and firm performance

The relationship between board diversity and firm performance The Research Questions In the course of their research on the Demographic Diversity in the Boardroom, Miller and Triana sought to answers the questions bothering on the relationship between board diversity and firm performance using mediating variables reputation and innovation and how board diversity impact firm performance using mediating variables of innovation and reputation. Theoretical Framework Underpinning the Study There are two theories underpinning the study and these are: the Behavioural Theory and the Signaling Theory (Miller and Triana 2009). The behavioural theory as proposed by Cyert and March (cited in Miller and Triana, 2009) suggests that there is a direct correlation between the availability and use of information in a decision-making process and innovation in a groups decision. In other words, the more the information available, the better the decision making process will be which leads to creativity. Arthurs, Busenitz, Hoskisson and Johnson (2008) view signaling as a way of bringing to notice the innate worth or value of a firm and that any signal must be noticeable and hard to emulate or replicate. The Signaling Theory posits that firms use visible signals to gain reputation and status among the public (Miller and Triana 2009: 756). Methodology In testing their hypotheses, Miller and Triana presented three sets of variables: independent variables, dependent variables and control variables. The independent variables which were board diversity, innovation and firm reputation were investigated using Blaus index (1977) of heterogeneity, Research and development expenses as proxies and 2004 Fortune Corporate Reputation Survey accordingly. The dependent variable; Firm Performance was measured using and Return on investment and Return on sales and finally, Control variables which as key components were vital to the research and they were firm age, liquidity, size, product and international diversification. The research explored the empirical link between these variables and four hundred and thirty two Fortune 500 firms which were selected in investigating innovation as mediating factor between board diversity and firm performance and also three hundred and twenty six Fortune 1000 firms which were selected to investigate reputation as mediating factor between board diversity and firm performance. The result from the test of the various hypotheses was then analysed using the Least Squares (OLS) Regression (pg 768). The methods of research were disputable and therefore open to further research due to two noticeable reasons. First, the inconsistency and ambiguity in the selected year of assessment. The research explored the empirical linkage of board diversity, reputation, innovation, and performance (pg 765) but did not specify a year or period of assessment for which they gathered their data. Example, sample of firms selected were for year 2003, measurement of board diversity was for year 2002, measurement of innovation using research and development expenses were for year 2003, measurement of reputation were for 2003 and finally firm performance is measured in 2005, lagged two years to allow time for mediating effects of reputation and innovation to occur (pg 767). The effect of this inconsistency is that it would be difficult to know the accuracy of result arrived at. Rather it would have been a lot of easier if the various data gathered were being assessed for a period of time e.g. data betw een years 2002 and 2005 to ensure uniformity in the assessment. Secondly the sample of Fortune 500 firms chosen were because these firms represent leaders in their industryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.had external reports listing the race of board members as a way of validating data (pg 765) but no mention was made on a report of gender of board members. Result The answer to question bothering on the relationship between board diversity and firm performance using mediating variables reputation and innovation was striking as the authors were of the opinion that increasing diversity on the board leads to more varied ideas, perspectives and networks (Miller and Triana 2009:764). In other words, in a multitude of opinions as a result of diversity, cogent and innovative ideas usually emanate. This view is supported by Hillman, Cannella and Harris (2001) where they reasoned that each director is unique and different and when all their skills and proficiencies are put together, various ideas spring forth which could enhance firms performance. However, Adams and Ferreira (2008:305) argue that the more dissimilar directors are, the more they could disagree and the more conflict there could be on the board which could eventually impede firms performance. The result for the question on how board diversity impact firm performance using mediating variables: innovation and reputation proved arguable as the authors posits having a gender and racially diverse board signals that the firm is well positioned to meet the needs of a diverse market (Miller and Triana 2009: 762) but from the test of their hypotheses, it was discovered that there was no correlation between gender diversity and reputation (pg 775). This could have been as a result of the method of research which could have led to a biased opinion. Dalton and Dalton (2010) observed that there has been a lot of criticism and reservation due to the presence and achievement of women on Fortune 500 boards. This shows that generally the opinion that women can hold positions of top management is still not been accepted by multitudes. However, Krishnan and Park (2004) argued that the presence of women as leaders is usually appreciated in an environment that calls for a lot public relations and that they are able to break grounds in an otherwise impossible situation due the emotional side of their personality which results in them working with a lot of passion. Conclusion The research was interesting as it provided the first empirical analysis of the correlation between boardroom diversity and firm performance using innovation and reputation as mediators. However, the research involved the use of secondary data i.e. data collected by someone else and most likely be subject to sample limitations (Anonymous 2008). This could infer that data collected were collated originally for a different purpose and therefore be biased. Also the research highlights that diversity using mediating factors innovation and reputation has benefits as Cox and Blake (1991:45) reasoned that a well managed, diverse workforce (board) holds potential competitive advantages for organizations but for it to be fruitful and effective, it comes with a price and firms have to be able to look at their structures and be guided in their cultural needs; either gender or racial and be able to discern between what is needful or unnecessary as Slater, Weigand and Zwirlein (2008) argued that achieving productive diversity is not easy and that diversity if not managed properly usually leads to a high level of turnover. Therefore, based on all the information gathered and analysis carried out, would it be ideal to say that board diversity positively impacts firm performance?

Hardships in Boys and Girls by Alice Munro :: Boys and Girls Alice Munro

In her story, Boys and Girls, Alice Munro depicts the hardships and successes of the rite of passage into adulthood through her portrayal of a young narrator and her brother. Through the narrator, the subject of the profound unfairness of sex-role stereotyping, and the effect this has on the rites of passage into adulthood is presented. The protagonist in Munro's story, unidentified by a name, goes through an extreme and radical initiation into adulthood, similar to that of her younger brother. Munro proposes that gender stereotyping, relationships, and a loss of innocence play an extreme, and often-controversial role in the growing and passing into adulthood for many young children. Initiation, or the rite of passage into adulthood, is, according to the theme of Munro’s story, both a mandatory and necessary experience.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Alice Munro's creation of an unnamed and therefore undignified, female protagonist proposes that the narrator is without identity or the prospect of power. Unlike the narrator, the young brother Laird is named – a name that means "lord" – and implies that he, by virtue of his gender alone, is invested with identity and is to become a master. This stereotyping in names alone seems to suggest that gender does play an important role in the initiation of young children into adults. Growing up, the narrator loves to help her father outside with the foxes, rather than to aid her mother with "dreary and peculiarly depressing" work done in the kitchen (425). In this escape from her predestined duties, the narrator looks upon her mother's assigned tasks to be "endless," while she views the work of her father as "ritualistically important" (425). This view illustrates her happy childhood, filled with dreams and fantasy. Her contrast between the work of her father and the chores of her mother, illustrate an arising struggle between what the narrator is expected to do and what she wants to do. Work done by her father is viewed as being real, while that done by her mother was considered boring. Conflicting views of what was fun and what was expected lead the narrator to her initiation into adulthood.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Unrealistically, the narrator believes that she would be of use to her father more and more as she got older. However, as she grows older, the difference between boys and girls becomes more clear and conflicting to her.

Promote communication in health and social care Essay

Communication is one of the most essential tools we have to help us interact with other people around us. We use it constantly in our everyday lives whether it be at work, with friends or at home with our families. The way we communicate reflects our personality and the way we come across to other people and build trust and relationships. Reasons why people communicate. †¢ Building relationships with the people around us †¢ Maintaining relationships †¢ Sharing ideas and thoughts †¢ Expressing feelings and needs †¢ Gaining reassurance and acknowledgement †¢ Gaining information and sharing information When we have a new child starting we have an â€Å"all about me† form that we ask the parent to complete. We do this to get to know the child and his/her likes and dislikes so that they can feel comfortable and to start building a relationship with that child and parent. We sit down with the parent to have a talk about this and also ask them if they would like a drink so that they feel welcome and at ease. As well as building relationships with the children and parents it is important to build relationships with the people we work with. Asking them questions about themselves and telling them about yourself. When a parent brings a child in in the morning we greet them and the child saying good morning and smiling. Likewise when the child is collected saying goodbye and taking time talking to the parent about the child’s day. This helps maintain the relationship with the parent and child. Letting them know that we have time to speak to them and to listen. Likewise talking to the other staff members about their interests or if they had a nice weekend. Greeting them when coming in also helps to maintain a good working relationship with them. It is important for adults as well as children that they feel listened to and feel like their ideas and thoughts are important. Listening to a child will not only help build a relationship with that child but also make the child feel valued and build their self esteem. Also listening to what they have to say and respecting their feelings is an important way to meet the child’s needs. When we meet new people one of the first things we do is to share and gain information with that person. This will help to establish a relationship with that person. This is also a vital part of working well with other people. When starting at the setting I first of all did this with the other staff by telling them about me and learning about them and also learning about the setting and how they do things there. With the children I asked them questions like their names and about the important people in their lives. This has helped me build relationships not just with the children at the setting bu t also the people that I work with. Especially with the children that I work with I am finding it very important in building a relationship with them to reassure them and acknowledge their achievements. Praising them and showing them with my body language that they are important. They respond well to doing â€Å"high 5’s† and keeping eye contact while they are talking to me. Likewise using some of the same tools with parents and colleagues help to acknowledge and reassure them that I am interested in what they have to say. It is very important to be able to communicate well with the people you work with. Not just to be happy yourself and to feel valued but also to provide the best care for the children in your setting. It is also important to be able to communicate well with the parents so that they feel that their needs are being met. They need to be able to leave the children in your care knowing that they will be safe and happy. When communicating with people we don’t just use our voices but also non-verbal communication like eye contact, touch and body language. The non-verbal communication can be more powerful than the verbal. At the setting where I work we have a little boy who isn’t using many words yet to communicate. He will come and take your hand and show you what it is he  wants. Using the information we have in the â€Å"all about me† form we know that he likes animals and to watch The Jungle Book on DVD. So we get the animals out and talk to him about them, asking him what noises those animals make and what they like to eat. Non-verbal communication is also very powerful when speaking to adults. Looking a the person you are speaking to can give you an idea of how they are feeling and also how they are reacting to what you are saying. The way you say some thing might be understood one way face to face with a person but will be understood differently over the telephone. Likewise listening skills are a very good tool to communicate well with the people around you. If you don’t take time to listen to the children you will not be able to build a relationship with them. Also being able to learn from the other staff at your setting is important and would be impossible without good listening skills. If the communication isn’t clear it can lead to misunderstanding. This can happen easily especially with children at a young age. It can also be a factor that a child, parent or colleague come from a different culture. As I am from Denmark but have lived in the UK for more than 13 years now I have felt this first hand. When I first moved here I worked with a man who used to speak to me as if I didn’t understand. That made me feel like I was inadequate whereas he probably thought he was helping me. On the other hand I have had people using long and difficult words that I didn’t understand and therefore making me feel less able to communicate with them. Feeling comfortable enough to ask questions and to say to the people you work with that you didn’t understand is very important so that misunderstandings don’t happen. Using different skills of communication would also be very helpful to make sure that the person you are talking to will be able to unde rstand you. You might have to simplify your language or use visual aids like pictures or in some cases have to use outside help like a translator or a speech therapist. To me good communication is all about building relationships with the people around you. This is even more important in the area of work that we do with children. Not only building the relationship with the parents, children and  colleagues but to teach the children from a young age to also communicate well and to help them to learn to build their own relationships with us, the children around them and everywhere else that they meet other people. Book used for information: Level 3 Diploma Children & Young people’s Workforce Early Learning and Childcare by Penny Tassoni, Kate Beith, Kath Bulman and Sue Griffin

Cause and Effect of Java Progr essays

Cause and Effect of Java Progr essays It is the nature of human nature that problems will arise and it is commonplace for solutions to be created from these problems. With the advent of the 1990s computer enthusiasts and programmers alike began to embrace a new innovation, the internet. As the internet grew in popularity a problem emerged, the bandwidth (size of a communications channel, e.g. 56k modem) available wasnt large enough to retrieve big packets of data from the internet. Therefore web-sites, mobile phones and interactive television, to name a few, were all very limited in what they could do. To solve this problem, a group of engineers at Sun Microsystems developed a language they called Oak; now known as Java which is object-oriented, secure, small and platform independent; it became the perfect language for the internet and our new fast-paced lifestyles. In the days before Java there were many popular programming languages; Basic, FORTRAN and Assembly to name a few. Although these languages were popular, the most popular and widely used language was C. C was used to write operating systems (The operating system is the program that manages a computer's resources., e.g. Windows, Linux, Mac OS.) and almost all other programs. Many programmers would religiously protest C as the perfect programming language. It combined the best elements of low-level assembly language as well as higher-level languages into a programming language that fits computer architecture. It was liked by its programmers. Even though C was extremely popular, it wasnt perfect by any means and as languages before it, C ran into its fair share of problems. As C programs grow larger they become more unwieldy, an error in the last line of code could negatively effect the first line of code, so programmers had to keep the whole program in mind while coding, as opposed to focusing on certain aspects of a program. A solution t ...