Groovy, another programming language for Java

In parallel with the effort to connect existing scripting languages like PHP and Perl to Java through JSR 223: Scripting Pages in Java Web Applications 
 another specification effort has emerged, JSR 241: The Groovy Programming Language, which aims to standardize Groovy as part of the
 Java platform.

Richard Monson-Haefel, a member of JSR 241, writes about why Java needs another language and why Groovy is the choice over Jython or Ruby
 in his post JSR-241: Groovy — A New Standard Programming Language for the Java Platform. I also recommend reading the discussion
 underneath it, where quite a few people pushed back.

I see two sides to this. The first is the clear need to extend Java with another language
 that offers the benefits of today's scripting languages while remaining fully compatible with all the features 
 of the Java platform, including its security model. The second, equally important, is connecting existing scripting
 languages, especially PHP and server-side Java, to the Java platform. I think both JSR 241 and JSR 223
 are needed and are a step in the right direction.