Short Answer: Python idioms are intuitive to me, whereas many statically typed idioms are not -- so it is easier for me to learn new concepts using Python. Lon

Short Answer: Python idioms are intuitive to me, whereas many statically typed idioms are not -- so it is easier for me to learn new concepts using Python. Long Answer: For me, part of it is syntax. I have found that using Python has enabled me to learn some programming concepts that I struggled with in .Net. .Net supported them just fine, but somehow the Python approach was intuitive for me, so once I learned it, I could abstract it to a different language. Polymorphism being the primary example with Python. More recently, I've gravitated toward languages that provide support with both dynamic types and static types (and arguably C# has heavily moved in that direction, but still I find the syntax not intuitive). The hybrid is nice, as you can worry about the higher level algorithm more easily with the dynamic feature, and then shift over to static to take advantage of the features you cite for static. Earlier this year, I discovered the Cobra language (http://www.cobra-language.com http://www.cobra-language.com), which boasts a python-like syntax on top of .Net (and supports both dynamic/static typing), and is optionally more strict than standard static typed languages in that it adds the benefits of contracts, nil-checking, and embedded unit tests.