Exactly. Java is fine if you just write plain-old classes. It's when you overuse patterns and try to make everything hyper pluggable/configurable with XML-based

Exactly. Java is fine if you just write plain-old classes. It's when you overuse patterns and try to make everything hyper pluggable/configurable with XML-based dependency injection that it becomes a disgusting slog. I write Java that is 100% "Plain Old Java Objects" and it is just fine. Keep it simple.