* It has to be as fast as possible, so interpreted languages are out.
    * You don't want to micro manage memory, so C is out.
    * You don't want to require programmers to have a degree, so C++ is out.
    * You want fast startup and not depend on a big runtime, so Java is out.
    * It has to run on most systems, anything with a C compiler, so D is out.
    * You want to have fun making something new.
    No existing language really meets these demands, so let's create a new one that does.

Actually, Lua meets every point except the last one...it's byte-compiled, garbage collected, refreshingly free of exceptions-to-exceptions-to-rules you have to memorize, it starts and compiles faster than many other major contenders start, it runs on literally anything with an ANSI C compiler, and it's been in production use for over 15 years.

I use Emacs, but a Lua-extended vi could be very nice.