Typing Strategies Beyond the Java Model (by Bruce Tate)

The Java™ community is split when it comes to the language's approach to typing. Some love the compile-time error checking, better security, and improved tools -- all features enabled by static typing. Others would prefer a more dynamically typed experience. This time in Crossing borders, you'll look at the dramatically different typing strategies used by two highly productive non-Java languages and at ways you can achieve some typing flexibility in your Java programming.

http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/java/library/j-cb05236.html

Ruby, Java, static, dynamic, typing