Ruby vs. Python is a frequent topic on HN [1] [2] [3] [4]. These discussions invariably focus on web development because of (a) the nature of HN, and (b) the f

Ruby vs. Python is a frequent topic on HN [1] [2] [3] [4]. These discussions invariably focus on web development because of (a) the nature of HN, and (b) the fact that most Ruby applications are web applications. I located all those references by my comment history, so I participated in all of the discussions. Generally I pointed out how painful Ruby's syntax is, how beginner-unfriendly the syntax plus the complexity of Rails is, how favorably Python contrasts, and then posed this Ask HN's very question. The discussion thereafter often rapidly degenerated into a flame war, but one time I got some rather informative answers [5]. [1] Can anyone explain why Ruby is so popular? -- https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5783967 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5783967 [2] Python for Ruby programmers -- https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5294318 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5294318 [3] Ask HN: Why do so many people hate Ruby? -- https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5157886 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5157886 [4] Off-topic flamewar -- https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5872899 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5872899 [5] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5784117 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5784117