Until system scripts start being written in alternative shells (which will never happen), I wouldn't bother learning any other shell than /bin/sh (and, by exten

Until system scripts start being written in alternative shells (which will never happen), I wouldn't bother learning any other shell than /bin/sh (and, by extension, bash). For more complex applications, stick to Python. Also, I never really understand why everyone wants to tout the "cross-platform" nature of their applications. You always run up against OS differences fairly quickly, negating any supposed "cross-platform" benefits. Especially if you want hooks into the OS (and who doesn't want OS hooks?) Cross-platform apps that do provide hooks into the OS are excepted: those are indeed useful: Python, etc.