Python vs. Perl, which is better to learn?

[Peter Hansen]

Chris wrote:
> 
> In article <f0fd5987.0204300105.51529004 at posting.google.com>,
>  gtaylor at lowebroadway.com (Garry Taylor) wrote:
> 
> > I use Perl at work day in day out, and use Python for my own personal
> > stuff, I would say that Python is better for pretty much everything,
> > particularly larger programs, where it's more structured syntax makes
> > code easier to read. I quite like Perl for CGI scripting, and little
> > 1-page scripts, but would never contemplate using it for a big
> > project.
> 
> I would have agreed a few months ago.  However, once you understand how
> to write modules in Perl, and how Perl's take on OO works, it becomes
> much easier to create large projects.

It's not understanding how to write the modules that matters:
it's understanding how to read them.

Perl is relatively unreadable, whereas Python is eminently readable.

Any company investing a large amount in large Perl applications is
just asking for trouble, although their employees will have excellent
job security for as long as the company can survive...

-Peter