You advice please

[Alia Khouri]

Hussein B wrote:

> I'm a Java/Java EE developer and I'm playing with Python these days.
> I like the Python language so much and I like its communities and the
> Django framework.

Sounds familiar... (-:

> My friends are about to open a Ruby/Rails shop and they are asking me
> to join them.

In this case, I think you have to make decision that is not technology-
centric but application-centric, and you should also consider closely
the opportunity set and capability set available to you and your
friends.

> I don't know what, sure I'm not leaving Java, but they are asking me
> to stop learning Python and concentrate on Ruby/Rails.

I don't think you should stop learning anything that rings your bell..
I love learning other languages (e.g. Haskell, Lua, Ruby, C#, Java,
boo, etc..) and I will code projects as per the requirements at the
time, but I tend to Python because, like you, I like the language and
the community.

In _addition_ to your love for Python and Django, why not learn Ruby/
Rails? It's not a bad framework at all, and Ruby is quite fun to
program in as well...?

> The sad fact (at least to me), Ruby is getting a lot of attention
> these days.

Not a sad fact, What's good for ruby is good for python and vice
versa... Friendly competition is always positive and usually good
ideas cross-pollinate across the languages...

> Why Python isn't getting this attention although is a much more mature
> language and it is used by many big, big names?

Who says Python is not getting attention? Last time I checked,
Python's popularity was at all time high, and the big guns in the
industry favor (witness Google AppEngine, Microsoft Ironpython
preceding Ironruby, etc..)

> And do I dare to say it is much more charming?

That is an aesthetic judgement... (-:

> What do you think of Ruby/Rails? do they worth learning and working
> with?

(see above)

> Any way, I'm not leaving Python and I will try to study it every time
> I get a chance...

Good for you (-:

> Thanks.