Starting up a Java program takes much longer than it should and that affects perception.

Depends on the program (especially the framework used) and the GC being used. I can write a java program and set it up in a way that it runs faster than almost everything else. For example in a serverless architecture where you need fast startup and small programs you can choose __not__ to use a GC and run ephemeral Java scripts. It starts and finishes running faster than you can blink.

It may affect developer perception but I'm pretty sure my users don't notice and don't care.

With AOT tho that should be somewhat moot.