Java and its compiler were free and easy to install into CS department labs. There was a huge hype train around object-oriented development being the way that

Java and its compiler were free and easy to install into CS department labs. There was a huge hype train around object-oriented development being the way that somewhat continues to this day. OO was all the rage along with the "Design Patterns" book. OO hype in the enterprise also seemed to drive CS departments to use Java for just about all classes because it was "pragmatic" and a "real" job skill to give students. I mainly remember being excited about garbage collection.