Introduction Like any human language, Java provides a way to express concepts. Ifsuccessful, this medium of expression will be significantly easier and moreflexible than the alternatives as problems grow larger and more complex. You can’t look at Java as just a collection of features; some of the features make no sense inisolation. You can use the sum of the parts only if you are thinking about design, not simply coding. And to understand Java in this way, you must understand the problems with it andwith programming in general. This book discusses programming problems, why they areproblems, and the approach Java has taken to solve them. Thus, the set of features I explainin each chapter are based on the way I see a particular type of problem being solved with thelanguage. In this way I hope to move you, a little at a time, to the point where the Javamindset becomes your native tongue. Throughout, I’ll be taking the attitude that you want to build a model in your head thatallows you to develop a deep understanding of the language; if you encounter a puzzleyou’ll be able to feed it to your model and deduce the answer.