Progaming Language

C

The C programming language was developed by Dennis Ritchie at Bell Laboratories in 1973. C first gained widespread recognition as the development language of the UNIX operating system. C is a hardware-independent language, and with careful design, it is possible to write C programs that are portable to most computers.

C++

C++ was developed by Bjarne Stroustrup in the early 1980s at Bell Laboratories. C++ provides a number of features that "spruce up" the C language, but more important, it provides capabilities for object-oriented programming (OOP). Many of today's major operating systems are written in C or C++. At a time when the demand for new and more powerful software is soaring, the ability to build software quickly, correctly and economically remains an elusive goal. This problem can be addressed in part through the use of objects, reusable software components that model items in the real world. A modular, object-oriented approach to design and implementation can make software development groups much more productive than is possible using earlier programming techniques. Furthermore, object-oriented programs are often easier to understand, correct and modify.

Java

Microprocessors are having a profound impact in intelligent consumer electronic devices. Recognizing this, Sun Microsystems in 1991 funded an internal corporate research project that resulted in the development of a C++-based language. When a group of Sun people visited a local coffee shop, the name Java was suggested and it stuck. As the World Wide Web exploded in popularity in 1993, Sun saw the possibility of using Java to add dynamic content (e.g., interactivity, animations and the like) to Web pages. Sun formally announced the language in 1995. This generated immediate interest in the business community because of the commercial potential of the Web. Java is now used to develop large-scale enterprise applications, to enhance the functionality of Web servers (the computers that provide the content we see in our Web browsers), to provide applications for consumer devices (such as cell phones, pagers and personal digital assistants) and for many other purposes. Visual C# is similar in capability to Java. Current versions of C++, such as Microsoft's Visual C++ and Borland's C++Builder, also have similar capabilities.

Visual Basic

Visual Basic evolved from BASIC (Beginner's All-Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code), developed in the mid-1960s by Professors John Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz of Dartmouth College as a language for writing simple programs. BASIC's primary purpose was to familiarize novices with programming techniques.

The widespread use of BASIC on various types of computers (sometimes called hardware platforms) led to many language enhancements. When Bill Gates co-founded Microsoft, he implemented BASIC on several early personal computers. With the development of the Microsoft Windows graphical user interface (GUI) in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the natural evolution of BASIC was Visual Basic, introduced by Microsoft in 1991. Visual Basic makes the development of Windows applications convenient.

C#

The advancement of programming tools and consumer-electronic devices (e.g., cell phones and PDAs) created problems and new requirements. The integration of software components from various languages proved difficult, and installation problems were common because new versions of shared components were incompatible with old software. Developers also discovered they needed Web-based applications that could be accessed and used via the Internet. As a result of the popularity of mobile electronic devices, software developers realized that their clients were no longer restricted to desktop computers. Developers recognized the need for software that was accessible to anyone and available via almost any type of device. To address these needs, in 2000, Microsoft announced the C# programming language. C#, developed at Microsoft by a team led by Anders Hejlsberg and Scott Wiltamuth, was designed specifically for the .NET platform as a language that would enable programmers to migrate easily to .NET. It has roots in C, C++ and Java, adapting the best features of each and adding new features of its own. C# is object oriented and contains a powerful class library of prebuilt components, enabling programmers to develop applications quicklyC# and Visual Basic share the Framework Class Library (FCL). C# is appropriate for demanding application development tasks, especially for building today's popular Web-based applications.