Want to learn a language - is Python right?

[sjmsoft at hotmail.com]

Aziz McTang wrote:
> What I'm looking for is more to learn one good, comprehensive
> programming language well than several approximately on an ad hoc
> basis. What I also failed to mention is the desire to develop my
> presently limited computer skills a lot further.

I've programmed in perhaps 20 languages ranging from the famous to the
obscure, from 1950s to 1990s design.  Python is my favorite.  It's a
great language for beginners but advanced programmers do not outgrow
it.  It has powerful features but simple, sensible syntax, so you spend
little time fighting the language itself and more time fighting the
problem you're trying to solve.  It's open source so cost of entry is
zero, it runs on many platforms, and it has a active, helpful user
community.  And coding in Python is fun!

Python is a great first lanuguage but keep an open mind to _someday_
learning more languages.  As someone else mentioned in this thread, no
language is right for all jobs.  And knowing languages built on
different paradigms (e.g., Prolog, Lisp, assembly languages) provides
new insights into the art of programming.

Cheers,
  Steve