Trying to decide between PHP and Python

[Google Poster]

About once a year, I have to learn yet another programming language.
Given all the recommendations (an outstanding accolade from Bruce
Eckel, author of "Thinking in Java") I have set my aim to Python.
Sounds kinda cool.

The indentation-as-block is unique, but that is how I always indent,
anyway.

Can any of you nice folks post a snippet of how to perform a listing
of the current directory and save it in a string?

Something like this:

$ setenv FILES = `ls`

Bonus: Let's say that I want to convert the names of the files to
lowercase? As 'tolower()'

TIA,

-Ramon