November 29, 2025
Grab the popcorn: Scala vs Kotlin, error wars
The Origins of Scala (2009)
From suitcase-sized PCs to a language fans adore—so why did Kotlin steal the spotlight
TLDR: Odersky recounts how Scala grew from a compiler obsession and academic roots into a powerful language on Java’s engine. Readers cheer its flexibility but spar over confusing error messages and why rival Kotlin grabbed the hype, turning a charming origin story into a lively popularity contest.
Martin Odersky’s origin story reads like a retro hacker movie: a “luggable” Osborne-1 that looked like a tilted sewing machine, a DIY compiler, a near-miss with Borland, and a PhD with Pascal inventor Niklaus Wirth. That path led to Scala, a language mixing object-oriented and functional styles on the JVM (the engine that runs Java and its friends).
But the comments? Pure fireworks. Early adopter Zambyte beams that Scala helped them pick up other languages easily, but admits its wide-open style can scare off big-company teams. ForHackernews drops the spicy take that Kotlin — another JVM language — “stole the traction,” and suddenly we’ve got a platform custody battle. Kasperset brings the everyday pain: error messages. “Have they improved?” Cue collective nods, winces, and stack traces.
Rochus adds brainy lore: Odersky’s Modula-2 roots with Wirth contrasted with a later love for the mathematical neatness of functional programming — something Wirth famously side-eyed. Then the meme energy arrives: semiinfinitely shrugs it all off as “some PL prof who did a lot of Java.” From sewing-machine computers to searing comment wars, this origin story doubles as a reminder: elegance wins respect, but friendly errors and brand momentum win hearts. And yes, the Kotlin crowd brought popcorn.
Key Points
- •Martin Odersky describes his early fascination with compilers beginning in 1980 and the hardware he used, from a Sinclair ZX80 to an Osborne-1.
- •With Peter Sollich, he built a Modula-2 compiler for 8-bit Z80 systems using a bootstrapping approach starting from a Pascal subset in Z80 assembly.
- •Their compiler produced compact interpreted bytecode and fast Z80 binaries and was purchased by Borland to market as Turbo Modula-2 for CP/M.
- •Delays in an IBM PC version led to a split implementor team and the product becoming known as TopSpeed Modula-2, limiting Borland’s marketing for Turbo Modula-2.
- •Odersky declined a job at Borland, completed a master’s on incremental parsing, and pursued a Ph.D. with Niklaus Wirth at ETH Zurich, setting the stage for Scala.