The thing is that the "scripting" approach, is just so much easier to distribute. Just look at how popular python got. Smalltalk didn't understand that. The syntax is worse than python IMO (and also ruby of course).
Imposing a very different metaphor from the ground up limited adoption and integration with other tools and environments.
"Sun is giving away Java and HotJava free, in a fast-track attempt to make it a standard before Micro-soft begins shipping a similar product"
https://archive.gyford.com/1997/wired-uk/1.08/features/java....
Please spell-out your point, so we can avoid talking past each other.
The thing is that the "scripting" approach, is just so much easier to distribute. Just look at how popular python got. Smalltalk didn't understand that. The syntax is worse than python IMO (and also ruby of course).