OOP was hype during the 90s. Schools adapted their curriculum to this trend. So they needed a programming language for this, and Java became the choice. C++ is too tricky as a first language.

The result is that a lot of people knew Java, which means it’s a good choice of language if you want to recruit programmers.

I believe most of Java’s success was luck. It released at the perfect time.

Java was the new hotness when I was in the middle of my comp sci degree. The biggest benefit I found was javadocs. Other languages had shit documentation that usually didn’t match reality in comparison.

JVM isn't mediocre. Really-really.

I don't like something aesthetically about Java, can't quite nail what, and don't like long-long namespace strings, but these are my personal limitations.

Ah. I also don't like OOP.

I am going to be decapitated for this, but you're totally right.

You only have to look at Rust. An horrible language with a massive hype machine and an army of zealots pushing it everywhere.

I can't understand how people are complaining about the java boiler plate and its verbosity, while promoting Rust every time they can.

For me it's the tooling surrounding it that makes it nice.