[tbrownaw]

Secondly, remember that Java programs may actually be faster than C/C++ programs. Programs written in C/C++ require more time and knowledge to performance tune. Writing something in Java (or other high-level language) allows the author to spend more time focusing on the big picture issues rather than having to deal with a lot of lower-level issues.

No. C++ may permit more extensive performance tuning, but the same level of tuning shouldn't take any longer in C++ than in Java. And really I'd say C++ as a language is at least as high-level as Java (especially considering templates), just more of the libraries you'll want to build on are shipped separately.

[cageface]

Except Java has a GC. In fact I'd say bringing GC into the mainstream may have been Java's major contribution to the art of software development.