What's stopping Julia from being reasonably usable to make actual applications? It's been awhile since I've touched it, but I ain't seeing a whole lot in the way of obstacles there — just less inertia.

It's actually better suited IMO, being a compiled language. I'm not sure how anyone could consider the current train wreck of getting python code just to run "actual applications." uv is great and all, but many of these "actual applications" don't use it.