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It makes me feel dirty having a script interpreter running on top of a virtual machine.

What makes Java programs not "scripts"?

Java, Ruby, and everything else are all the same at some level. They let you type in instructions for the computer to execute. A VM is an execution strategy. Why does the front-end to that strategy make a difference to you? (Or rather, why do certain front-ends make you feel "dirty"? I think it's because you have no idea what you're talking about.)

I think the OP is trying to say that all dynamically typed, interpreted languages are implemented in statically typed, compiled or JIT languages. If you like the discipline of the latter, you might resent the former.

Hasn't Java had a JIT compiling VM for a while now? And in the times I've used it, it has certainly seemed statically typed and compiled (to Java bytecode) to me.

If that's the kind of thing that makes you feel dirty, I might suggest turning your computer off, and going out drinking...

Actually, I'm going to take you up on that offer. A beer sounds really good right about now.

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