Java One Conference Kicks Off In S.F.

May 8 - KGO (KGO) -- It was 12 years ago that Sun Microsystems developed the computer language called Java -- technology that helps power everything from ATMs to cell phones. Fifteen thousand tech wizards from all over the world are in San Franicsco this week for Sun's Java One Conference.

There is plenty of mystery at Moscone Center this week. Mystery, if you do not understand the programming language called Java any better than French. And mystery for some students from Montreal who had difficulties getting Java to work in their submarine project.

David Mercier, engineering student: "Basically, this is a robot submarine. The robot submarine is moving on its own. So it is entirely controlled by artificial intelligence."

Roughly 15,000 people will wander through Java One this week -- students, programmers and developers.

Java is the great unseen force in the computer programming universe. There are millions of applications and there are billions of devices from your television set, to the microchips you put in your dog and your cat, to your cell phones.

Jennifer Lyons, Motorola: "Wthout the Java you couldn't have the cool gaming experiences and other neat applications."

There's plenty of commercialism here, too. Jennifer Lyons, for instance, on the latest, greatest features you may or may not want.

ABC7's Wayne Freedman: "Whatever happened to the plain old telephone?"

Jennifer Lyons: "It has morphed into the mobile."

And Java keeps morphing, too. Take your money from the bank with it. Use that money to buy food with it.

There's a high speed robotic arm that uses Java to take thousands of measurements a second in making sketches. There's also a toy called Robo Sapien that can work with your kids or entertain them, all from Java programming.

Bernard Traversat, Java programmer: "I would say your kids can program these things in a couple of hours. So easy."

ABC7's Wayne Freedman: "Easy?"

Bernard Traversat: "Easy."

Meantime, back in the submarine exhibit, they did discover their problem -- too many people using their wireless devices.

Imagine that, the manifestation of too much Java at a Java conference.

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