Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

Java Virtual Machine
     
         (JVM) A specification for software
        which interprets {Java} programs that have been compiled into
        {byte-codes}, and usually stored in a ".class" file.  The JVM
        {instruction set} is {stack}-oriented, with variable
        instruction length.  Unlike some other instruction sets, the
        JVM's supports {object-oriented} programming directly by
        including instructions for object {method} invocation (similar
        to {subroutine} call in other instruction sets).
     
        The JVM itself is written in {C} and so can be {ported} to run
        on most {platforms}.  It needs {thread} support and {I/O} (for
        {dynamic class loading}).  The Java byte-code is independent
        of the platform.
     
        There are also some hardware implementations of the JVM.
     
        {Specification
        (http://www.javasoft.com/docs/books/vmspec/html/VMSpecTOC.doc.html)}.
     
        {Sun's Java chip
        (http://news.com/News/Item/0,4,9328,00.html)}.
     
        [Documentation?  Versions?]
     
        (2000-01-03)