What do you want to build? Ruby or Python is good. Just pick one. Flip a coin. Or do what I did: I picked the one that _Why's book was about, and that proved t

What do you want to build? Ruby or Python is good. Just pick one. Flip a coin. Or do what I did: I picked the one that _Why's book was about, and that proved to be a very amusing way to choose: http://poignantguide.net/ruby/ http://poignantguide.net/ruby/ (See also: http://hacketyhack.net/ http://hacketyhack.net/ and http://shoooes.net/ http://shoooes.net/ .) Also good, but for different things: Scheme (as learned from SICP), C, Objective C, Java (so that you'll know what everyone else is complaining about).