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As a previous PHP developer for years, I'm now moving over to Python. I agree with Marco if that was the statement he made. PHP can get the job done but Python overall is just a more powerful and cleaner syntax language.

There are lots of companies that are built in Python big and small. Some examples are Dropbox, Slide, Youtube, Quora, Yelp, etc... It's definitely a scalable language and something I'd highly recommend.

As a disclaimer, I don't have any knowledge in Ruby/Rails but I'd definitely still recommend Python. You'll come across between choosing 2 and 3 if this is the path you're heading down, stick with 2 and move onto 3 later. This will make much more senes once you look into Python.

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To add to this comment, I'd recommend taking a look at Learn Python The Hard Way (http://learnpythonthehardway.org/index) to get started.

I'm not a Python programmer, but I recommended this to a friend who's in the same boat as you and heading down the PHP path. He worked his way through 1/3 of the exercises his first day.

The important part isn't what you read, but what you put into practice. You learn by doing. Learn Python The Hard Way gets you up and running fairly quickly.

While Rails is a fantastic framework, don't start there. It may be hard to understand how it helps you if you don't understand the context of the problems it solves. Right now, focus on a specific language.

If I went the Ruby/RoR route, I would learn Ruby then Rails. As well as LPTHW, another great resource is the MIT OCW course which teaches fundamentals using Python. Thanks for the help!

http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/electrical-engineering-and-comput...

I'll also add it depends on your what OS you're running. If you're on Windows, Python will be more forgiving than Ruby.

Some Ruby gems build native extensions as they're installed, which isn't always possible on Windows. Granted, the state of Ruby and Rails on Windows has improved over the last few years, I still wouldn't consider it a first class citizen.

Granted, there are some nice online resources for jumping into Rails:

http://www.codeschool.com/

http://tryruby.org/

http://rubykoans.com/

http://mislav.uniqpath.com/poignant-guide/

http://humblelittlerubybook.com/

Thanks again for the resources, there are some there I have not heard of before. I have both Windows and Linux boxes.

Thanks so much, I appreciate the insight!

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