Python may actually be more universally available than perl.
Microsoft has recently released their own version of Python. Python is on OSX and I think most linux versions have python as well. Perl's standing isn't quite as strong on OSX or Windows.
I find in perl I have to manage more extraneous code than python, so I tend to prefer python.
What do you feel is python's major quirk? I find python's OO very unobtrusive (unlike Java or C#).
Ruby does look to be a good language but it is on the same vector as python, so it is not interesing enough for me to mess with. (I don't gain than much more productivity or solve problems in different ways)
Languages like, Erlang and Haskell are on other vectors and look very interesting.
universally available
Microsoft has recently released their own version of Python. Python is on OSX and I think most linux versions have python as well. Perl's standing isn't quite as strong on OSX or Windows.
I find in perl I have to manage more extraneous code than python, so I tend to prefer python.
What do you feel is python's major quirk? I find python's OO very unobtrusive (unlike Java or C#).
Ruby does look to be a good language but it is on the same vector as python, so it is not interesing enough for me to mess with. (I don't gain than much more productivity or solve problems in different ways)
Languages like, Erlang and Haskell are on other vectors and look very interesting.