Because Scala allowed you to write much less code than Java. After Java was bought by Oracle, they shifted to a faster release cadence and new features. But developers still had to use things like Lombok, Guava, and Apache Commons to have an easier way to do things.
Now, both Kotlin and Java 25 have a lot of the features that Scala was the first to introduce, so it does not seem important. But it was very important back then.
Also, the Big Data world was embracing Scala. Apache Spark is written in Scala and so many other important tools and libraries in the Big Data ecosystem were in Scala.
Edit. Fixed information about releases after Oracle acquisition.
So were you writing applets and swing applications? It was a completely different time! However, a lot of Java 2 code can run on Java 25 with small changes!
Java switched to a rapid release cycle in September 2017, when the six-month, time-based release cadence was first proposed and implemented. Starting with Java 10 in March 2018, a new version is released every March and September.
Many Java versions are actually ignored by developers, who only use Long-Term Support (LTS) versions, that are released every two years.
I was doing enterprise stuff. Was a weird time dodging bullshit like j2ee “javabeans” stuff but picking out the signal from the noise.
Mostly did websphere hosted jsp stuff. Moved to that from… check it… J++. It was right in the midst of the MS v Sun lawsuit craziness.
Only did 2 years before a huge MS .NET enterprise pivot back to the dark side where I stayed for 20 years before jumping to embedded and rust blockchain stuff.
One of the top reasons for Scala is the jvm, you can use every library out there that already exists. If you have the needs to integrate with something almost certainly some library exists for it on the jvm so you can just use it and get work done reasonably quickly.
Could you please explain your point of view more clearly? It seems you presume other people should not find the Scala language interesting because you do not.
Not at all. Tongue was firmly in cheek. I work with jvm professionally. I was specifically trying to clarify that I find the beam vm exciting but not jvm and was therefore just kidding around when I made the first comment. Not gate keeping at all. Like whatever you please.
And the uncomfortable question is, why was he moved closer to scala in the first place.
(ok I’m no different, I learned elixir once)
Because Scala allowed you to write much less code than Java. After Java was bought by Oracle, they shifted to a faster release cadence and new features. But developers still had to use things like Lombok, Guava, and Apache Commons to have an easier way to do things.
Now, both Kotlin and Java 25 have a lot of the features that Scala was the first to introduce, so it does not seem important. But it was very important back then.
Also, the Big Data world was embracing Scala. Apache Spark is written in Scala and so many other important tools and libraries in the Big Data ecosystem were in Scala.
Edit. Fixed information about releases after Oracle acquisition.
Holy hell I’ve been out of that world for a hot minute. I got certified in Java 2 as a young lad in 2002 or so.
Have there been versions the whole way up, or did they skip and jump to match the year at some point?
Time comes for us all
It’s an amazing adventure. I’m at the grey beard part. Good times.
So were you writing applets and swing applications? It was a completely different time! However, a lot of Java 2 code can run on Java 25 with small changes!
Java switched to a rapid release cycle in September 2017, when the six-month, time-based release cadence was first proposed and implemented. Starting with Java 10 in March 2018, a new version is released every March and September.
Many Java versions are actually ignored by developers, who only use Long-Term Support (LTS) versions, that are released every two years.
I was doing enterprise stuff. Was a weird time dodging bullshit like j2ee “javabeans” stuff but picking out the signal from the noise.
Mostly did websphere hosted jsp stuff. Moved to that from… check it… J++. It was right in the midst of the MS v Sun lawsuit craziness.
Only did 2 years before a huge MS .NET enterprise pivot back to the dark side where I stayed for 20 years before jumping to embedded and rust blockchain stuff.
At least there is a good reason to use elixir. Beam.
One of the top reasons for Scala is the jvm, you can use every library out there that already exists. If you have the needs to integrate with something almost certainly some library exists for it on the jvm so you can just use it and get work done reasonably quickly.
I won’t argue that isn’t true. I’m just saying beam is a value prop that speaks to me. Jvm isn’t, but objectively is for sure.
Could you please explain your point of view more clearly? It seems you presume other people should not find the Scala language interesting because you do not.
Not at all. Tongue was firmly in cheek. I work with jvm professionally. I was specifically trying to clarify that I find the beam vm exciting but not jvm and was therefore just kidding around when I made the first comment. Not gate keeping at all. Like whatever you please.