Python vs. Perl, which is better to learn?

[Alex Martelli]

François Pinard wrote:

> [Patrick W]
> 
>> IMHO, the best choices for starters are:
>> * One of [C, C++]
>> * One of [Python, Perl, Python, Ruby, Python, Tcl, Python]
>> * Something that encourages a different style of thinking.  [Lisp]
>> * Whatever else turns you on.
> 
> Excellent advice and analysis, congratulations!
> 
> I guess programmers should all get acquainted in their life with some
> non-procedural language.  As some people are not inclined toward inference
> engines :-), one could aim languages like `SQL', non-procedural enough!

SQL is indeed a great choice, since it is both an entirely different
paradigm *AND* a language of huge practical and economic importance.

I'd just strongly suggest doing it RIGHT, i.e., studying SQL itself,
NOT some weird dialect (unfortunately many popular sort-of-SQL engines
do offer weird dialects -- e.g., no nested SELECT in MySQL...).

> `Lisp' (my preferred one is `Scheme', yet some people take offence when
> `Scheme' is presented as a `Lisp') encourages a different style of
> thinking, but still, it is an imperative, procedural language, like `C'
> and `Python'.

Right!  For Functional Programming, I'd suggest Haskell, though others
will prefer some variants of ML or something more weird and exciting
yet (Erlang, Oz/Mozart, ...?).


Alex