title: Is Java suitable for "Web 2.0" applications?
body: <p>I was chatting to someone the other day who suggested that Rails and PHP are the most suitable platforms for web applications, and to avoid Java. My background is mainly Java, and I know that it is considered by some to be too verbose and "heavyweight", but is used occasionally (e.g. by LinkedIn).</p>
  
  <p>So I'm wondering whether anyone has had success using Java for a recent web application that has gone live, either using the language itself (e.g. with Stripes/Spring + Hibernate), or the runtime with a dymamic language (such as JRuby, Groovy, Jython)? If so, please share what worked and what you would do differently.</p>
  
  <p><strong>Some background</strong> <em>(added later)</em>:
  Tim O'Reilly coined the phrased "Web 2.0" and here is his definition: <a href="http://www.oreillynet.com/lpt/a/6228" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.oreillynet.com/lpt/a/6228</a></p>
  
  <p>I think it's the "End of the release cycle" and "Lightweight programming model", involving rapid iterations and simplified deployment, where Java may be less suitable. Thoughts?</p>