Why Python over Ruby?
drawkbox: In Python you dont' have to type 'end', just kidding although for some reason it reminds me of VB for this reason. I wish it didn't but it does.  Why have an end be anymore than 1 character on a serious note, that is lots of keystrokes extra not needed.But more seriously Python is a growth like Javascript.  It has grown and adapted to every change it has been required because it has a very rapid iteration time and is great for wrappers to core C.  It is clean and maintainable.For this it has made huge inroads to system administration, game development, tool plugins, web development, command tasks and everything else.  I have yet to have one instance where there weren't numerous libraries for every task.  Even if you don't want to use a third party library there are many examples of how to do it.Python is really at it's core many things.  It is a functional language, it is an OO language and it can be procedural. It can wrap intense lower level libraries or port in a C extension for speed. The same code you wrote for your desktop api, can be used in a desktop app, a service, website, a web service, a tool plugin, at the command line or any way you need it.It can float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.Like Javascript, Python is based on a core few types, lists and dictionaries (objects).  All the languages that seem to permeate like viruses have this basic computer science fundamental.  It just is as simple and clean as you can get.  Ruby also has this but it came a bit later.And finally, it is named after the great Monty Python.