"By then, Netscape management had decided that a scripting language had to have a syntax similar to Java’s."

I wonder how their reasoning went. I find it generally confusing, if two different languages have similar syntax (why did Java have to look a bit like C?). I guess, I need a visual hint reminding me of the expected semantic.

Anyhow, even if the original JavaScript (perhaps "ScriptingScheme" or "WebScheme"?) would have more resembled Scheme, I doubt it would have used S-expr for long. Over the years I developed the needed parenthesis-blindness, but can't imagine most Web developers having that patience.