Why Bytecode?

[Maneesh Yadav]

OK, this may be a stupid comment, but I can't figure out a good answer.

Why is that VM's like java impliment their thing with a universal
bytecode?

Why not concentrate on a VM with a readable language with a JIT and save
space by leaving it up to a compression algo.?

In order to prevent the code stealing, mangled sources could be used...

I realize that a bytecode is good since it resembles a processers
instruction set nad is small.  But why restrict a language to only work
with today's processing paradigms (who knows what's next).  Surely a
good HLL leaves more room for the future.

Doesn't bytcode just put an unessecary step in between
idea->language->program?