Should I learn Python or Java?

[Emile van Sebille]

David,

I'm an independent maintaining 15-20 customers on a regular
basis.  Their needs run from maintenance on legacy systems
through integration projects in major CRM applications.

For me, Python delivers on the promise that MS made for VB
(I can't quote the source directly, but it was a _long_ time
ago in a trade rag): "One day, a consultant will walk into
your office, connect a laptop to your network, and in a day,
integrate your legacy applications with Excel, E-mail, Word
and Access using VB as the glue that holds it together."
(OK, I'm not good at quotes ;-)

For me, VB never quite lived up to that image.  Python, so
far, has yet to fail to live up to it.

Download python, work through the tutorial, ask questions in
the group, and enjoy.

--

Emile van Sebille
emile at fenx.com
-------------------


"Charlotte Williams" <charlottwilliams at mediaone.net> wrote
in message news:HEO56.5504$y9.2881293 at typhoon.we.rr.com...
> Hello,
>
>     I am a Visual Basic programmer who wants to increase
his knowledge of
> programming languages.  Now that the curses, boos, and
barrage of rotten
> fruit are out of the way, I would like to ask this group a
few questions
> :-) ...
>
> I notice that there is a lot of demand for Java
programmers.  The only
> experience I have with an OO language is Smalltalk.   My
questions are:
>
> 1.  Which language would be best to learn, Java or Python.
>From a VB
> standpoint, which has the least learning curve?
> 2.  Is going from object-based to object-oriented
programming that huge a
> jump?   I want to learn an OO language, however I plan on
utilizing it in my
> career.
> 3. Which one is the most "fun" to program in?
> 4.  Is Python multi-platform?  How is it's performance
compared to JAVA in
> an internet situation?  It's reliability?
> 5.  Do you for see Python as becoming a major player like
Java servlets and
> MTS?  Can you see Python demand outstripping Java demand
in 2 years time?
>
> Many of these questions are in response to a post I saw
earlier where Python
> was being touted as the next evolution of OO programming.
It went something
> like...
> C --> C++ --> Java --> Python.
>
> I'm really interested in hearing from VB programmers that
decided to jump
> into one or both of the languages,  has pretty good
knowledge (enough to get
> a Java or Python job) and the headaches and experiences
they had learning
> about them.  Do you need a formal CS education to grasp
them?  I tried
> finding information on these two, but the experiences I
always found were C
> or C++ programmers that tried to tackle them.  Some sites
actually belittled
> me as a VB programmer.  Since I have heard such good
things about this
> groups hospitality, I thought I would ask here first.
Thanks.
>
>
> David Williams
>
>
>