Should I learn Python?

[Philippe C. Martin]

I do not consider myself a great developper, yet I can code.

For the past 17 years I have coded in many languages (assembly, basic ; 
-(  Pascal, C, C++, ADA, ....) in many environment (regular os:Windows(all), 
Unix, Linus, DOS, OS/2... - embedded: pSOS+, vxWorks, VRTX32...).

I discovered python 5 months ago, fell in love within the first few days and:

-) can code many times faster than ever before (yet I doubt my neurons have 
reproduced)
-) I currently work on a fairly sophisticated commercial smart card project 
and have a prototype almost ready after 4 months and 6K lines of code. ==> it 
would have taken at least  me two years and 20K lines more to reach this 
using a "standard" high level language.


My advice is this:

1) learn it 'cause it's fun !
2) if performances do not involve most of your software/you do _not_ need 
deterministic/realtime behavior: use it because it's potentially the most 
productive software language/environment available on this side of the 
galaxy.
3) learn it 'cause it's fun !


Regards,

Philippe