Is python for me?

[Mark Woodward]

On Mon, 13 Nov 2006 09:11:13 -0800, lennart wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> I'm planning to learn a language for 'client' software. Until now, i
> 'speak' only some web based languages, like php. As a kid i programmed
> in Basic (CP/M, good old days :'-) ) Now i want to start to learn a
> (for me) new computer language.
> 
> I like Python. Its free, easy to learn and some favorite programs of my
> are written in Python / can understand Python (like OpenOffice) etc.
> 
> But I'm not a full-time programmer. I know, that I've only time &
> possibility to learn one (= 1) language good. So i ask myself is python
> the language I'm looking for?
...

I've been hesitant to write this in the past but seems like a good time.

I'm at the same stage, but (and this is NOT a troll) I'm tossing up
between Python and Ruby. I know this has been discussed numerous times but
I'd like to come at it from a different angle. 

I've been 'playing' with both languages and to be honest it's a case of 6
of one, half a dozen of the other. If I'm using python I 'think' python
and if I'm using Ruby I 'think' ruby (if that makes sense). Ie I don't
find I'm more productive in one over the other to any great extent (pretty
unproductive in both ATM to be honest ;-)) .

In the foreseeable future I suspect I'll stick with one and just use it
for things I personally will use/need. But (and here's where I finally get
to a question) I use Linux, I love the whole idea of open source and
contributing in some way. So if I ever get to the stage where I can give
something back is one preferred over the other? I would have thought no
but I read on the Ubuntu site somewhere that they prefer contributions
written in Python/ pyGTK?? Is this just a 'preference' or because python
is installed by default? (whereas Ruby isn't)? Is it just Ubuntu or Linux
distros in general?

I hope you can see where I'm coming from here. I don't want to start a
Python/Ruby flame war. That's not the question. The question is "is one
preferred over the other when contributing software and is this just a
particular distros preference"?


cheers,


-- 
Mark