From: Chad Perrin <code@...>
Date: 2012-06-12T02:58:08+09:00
Subject: Re: Why should I learn ruby?

On Tue, Jun 12, 2012 at 02:17:49AM +0900, Kasper Steensig wrote:
> I have wondered whether I should learn ruby or python hence they are
> both pretty common languages and both look pretty much alike except for
> some differences like blocks and how the structure of ruby is.
> 
> So what arguments are there for learning ruby? :)

It's largely a matter of taste, though I know some Pythonistas who would
disagree and start saying bad things about Ruby.  This leads to the first
of a few matters of taste that apply in my case:

1. I like the Ruby community more.

2. I find that Python is unnecessarily confining in terms of what it
allows the programmer to do.  I feel like Ruby sets me free to achieve
what I want, the way I want to achieve it.

3. As of version 1.9.3, I like Ruby's license terms more (dual-licensed
under the Ruby License and a BSD License, the latter of which is quite a
nice little license).

4. The books on the market for Ruby are, in my opinion, generally more
enjoyable and useful for advancing my skills as a Rubyist.

5. Python's syntax kinda annoys the crap out of me, but maybe that's just
me.  One case in particular is the way Python defaults to a style that
leaves blocks of code looking unfinished to me, in large part because
multi-expression or multi-statement blocks have no ending delimiter.

Your mileage may vary.

-- 
Chad Perrin [ original content licensed OWL: http://owl.apotheon.org ]