Shell scripts require more direct systems knowledge than languages with an abstracted approach to _any_ system. As a rule of thumb if I am using python to drive

Shell scripts require more direct systems knowledge than languages with an abstracted approach to _any_ system. As a rule of thumb if I am using python to drive (popen) system binaries I don't write in python and if I have significant data structures I avoid the shell. TBH the popular movement and younger crowd have kind of dismissed aptitude with the traditional unix shell/awk/sed as not worthy of significant effort due to any number of (mostly shallow) complaints. (gnu) Awk is a wonderful language in itself but sadly most users don't know anything about it and use it for trivial operations. These days if I am working with younger people in a team environment I default to python and avoid the bickering. That's the way wars are won - make it unpleasant enough that surrender is a better option.