Do people really think that higher-kinded types are 'truly advanced and powerful features'?

I don't like the idea of compiler flags, its extra work that isn't needed.

If people/teams decide they don't want to use aspects of the language then they are free to do so by convention.

The absence/presence of compiler flags form a kind of type system. It's a bit like the difference between Integer and IO Integer in Haskell.

> Is it easy for programmers of all abilities to understand and use?

I am working with two guys right now who have less than 8 months of programming experience.

They are not having a problem with scala. They can do useful work in it.

What they have a problem with is all the other stuff that you just have to learn about building systems.