First at all I want to excuse myself if someone felt offended because of my opinion about Perl. I never thought people were so sensitive about this issue, more on when even Larry Wall, Perl creator, has been the first one to critic the language (http://dev.perl.org/perl6/) . As anyone can imagine whatever I post in this list is my own opinion based in my own experience, and as you can imagine whatever I say is not an order for anyone. Second, about whether this issue was or not appropiate to the list I think it is, since obviosly the avility of linux to use scripting languages is one of the greatest advantages it has over Windows and "expert" users will take advantage of it. Even Microsoft recognised this fact and they worked in their own windows scripting technology that now comes with any new Windows. Good scripting languages not just help system administrator but can be used to replace common office task with easy. Particularly I find much more easy and fast to use Python than an Spread sheet as OpenCalc, Gnumeric or Excel in a lot of circumstances. My previous post on Simpy clearly probes it. Third I don't wan't to make religion with Python. Is just that I have experience with both Perl and Python so I post comparing both too in my own experience. I can't say about Ruby or others just because I don't know enough about them.