[think-large]

I know absolutely nothing about Ruby, is it as useful outside of the web framework as python is? I have come to use python a lot for different programming needs and as a test before I turn to something like C/C++ any more.

I have been able to use Python as a middle ground. A place that I can go and work to make web tools, but also go offline to solve little problems that bug me.

Is this something that is equally easy in Ruby? I mean, if I was going to go to the web strictly, I can see comparing the two as apples to apples, but that's not why I use Python...

[ddellacosta]

I've used Ruby as a sysadmin tool a lot--actually, it replaced Perl (sniff) for me in that role. So I think it's generally pretty useful. But I can't speak to its application to, say, writing games, or applications using an OS's windowing systems, or scientific applications--all areas where I believe Python has a lot more traction. I know you can do that stuff with Ruby, but I don't know how it compares, as far as maturity of the libraries in those areas.

[dmorgan]

>I know absolutely nothing about Ruby, is it as useful outside of the web framework as python is?

Ruby is used a lot for sysadmin, systems management stuff (more than Python, surprisingly, because of good tooling). It's also used for stuff like iOS development (RubyMotion), and general purpose scripting.

That said, _is_ there anything of importance happening "outside of the web" nowadays?

[dagw]

_is_ there anything of importance happening "outside of the web" nowadays?

Seriously??? You can't swing a cat without hitting someone singing the praises of "Big Data". We're at a point where machine learning is moving from academia out into "real world" in a major way. Statistics, data analysis and simulation is playing a more and more significant role in more and more fields every day. Both GIS and BIM, while still pretty niche, are growing rapidly in importance in their respective fields. I could go on all day. I'd almost (but not quite) say web frameworks is least important or interesting thing happening these days.

[think-large]

It's really the contrast between these two comments that drove me to Python. Many things are possible with the web, yet I'm more interested in Machine Learning and development of applications for phones/computers/adruino/etc. So I gotta say that Python seems like the tool for me. I also love C and C++ so that might say a little more about what I like...

[dmorgan]

>Seriously??? You can't swing a cat without hitting someone singing the praises of "Big Data".

Which I also consider BS. I've seen tons of those "can't swing a cat without hitting X" fads in my time come and go, at best staying small niches.