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I wouldn't vote for Java either... but Ruby isn't for me.

I would not defend either Java or Ruby on language syntax grounds, but, this is a dud.

Here's a little perspective:

Try printing out the system properties in alphabetical order.

In Java:

import java.util.Iterator;

import java.util.Map;

import java.util.TreeMap;



public class Main {

	public static void main(String[] args) {

		Map sortedProps = new TreeMap(System.getProperties());

		

		for (Iterator itr = sortedProps.keySet().iterator(); itr.hasNext();) {

			String property = (String) itr.next();

			System.out.println(property + " = " + sortedProps.get(property));

		}

	}

}

ENV_JAVA.sort.each { |e| puts e.inspect }

If you use generics properly, your Java version will be significantly less verbose:

public class Main {

    public static void main(String[] args) {

        Map<String, String> sortedProps = new TreeMap<String, String>(System.getProperties());

        for (String key : sortedProps.keySet()) {

            System.out.printf("%s = %s", key, sortedProps.get(key));

        }

    }

}

The millionth iteration of, "This language couldn't be very good because I already know this other language really well."

Seriously, there's nothing wrong with advocacy, I've done my fair share of it as well. Either defend something you like against unfair attack or demonstrate something it does really well. That is, perform advocacy by showing advantages.

Making idiotic speed comparisons between a compiled language and an interpreted one just makes you look simple. The Ruby people will come up with a dozen things that are impossible in a compiled language and trump any argument you make like that. That's because each one has different strengths and different uses for which it is appropriate.

This is pretty weak sauce. I would like to read another iteration by the same author.

Ruby, like Perl before it, seems to make keystroke minimization a high priority. Why is printing a sorted list of properties in alphabetical order in 1 line a worthy goal?

Complexity is the enemy of software systems, not an excess of keystrokes.

One of the strength in Ruby is the condensed syntax. Java has strengths in other areas. It's that simple.

Re: stalky. I agree however I think its stated nicely in the Python Zen

"Simple is better than complex.
Complex is better than complicated."