For Java long start time is because it initializes big amount of RAM at the start, but thanks to this creating objects latter is fast. Additionally measuring of start of program is meaningless, what this say to us? Nothing. OK, maybe something, something like "write programs/scripts which execution is less than seconds in languages like ....". But for most of programs it doesn't matter. What the difference if program starts 3.1-3.2 seconds and 0.05 second? If execution time is longer than minute human will not see difference.