Well, the original question demonstrated some ignorance by drawing a false distinction. If said co-worker included Java in the "compilable" corner, they were demonstrating prejudice and bias (quite possibly driven by ignorance). It almost smells like a deliberately loaded question.

Why would I choose Perl over Java? Less Bondage and Discipline (as opposed to disciplined programming). More flexibility in how I organize and write my code. Greater productivity on my part.

Why might I choose Java over Perl? Maybe I'm taking a course on Java programming where turning in assignments in Perl just won't work...or the use of Java is a requirement. Or maybe I just want to try doing it in Java for the professional development.