[Tutor] Help deciding between python and ruby

[Dan King]

> I think you will get at the least a slight bias toward Python. However,
> I think you should do your own research and reach your own conclusions.
> Simply to get you started I put the following into Google: 'Python or
> Ruby: Which to learn' and got more than 1M hits.

> Best of luck.

> Robert

Well, the slight (at the very least) bias toward Python is expected as this is a python mailing list. I have already done research on python and ruby via Google. I've found that python is described as more 'explicit,'  used in multiple situations, has better libraries, and has unique 'spacing & underscore' syntax requirements; and ruby on the other is more 'implicit,' used more in web-apps (via ROR), emphasizes code-readability/beauty, and is more flexible (i.e. has more than one way of doing something). 

While the preceding information is nice, the information hasn't helped me decide which one to learn - that's the reason for my post. I want to sift through the hype for each language. I want to understand the perspectives of people who use python - why they like/dislike it, if/why the would recommend learning it, and what experiences they've had with python in professional contexts.

To put my programming knowledge in context, I have experience with php and java; I enjoy php's ease and the syntax of java (everything is apparent from the code, although it can be a bit verbose). Look forward to the responses. Thanks.

-Dan