[skywhopper]

I'm sure I can agree that Java, C#, Python, or Javascript are any better than Ruby in terms of difficulty of installing and maintaining the "right" version on your system, or in terms of quirks that are not present in other languages. Python's block definition syntax can be extremely confusing to beginners. Idiomatic Javascript is very difficult to explain to a newbie. And Java and C# are overloaded with so much boilerplate syntax that someone trying to learn the basics gets overwhelmed in the first 10 seconds.

I don't think there's one "right" language to start learning to program in. Different languages appeal to different mindsets and are good at doing different things. There's no limit to what you can accomplish in Ruby, Python, C#, or any other language, so if you find something that works for your brain, go with it.

[claystu]

I would say Python and Javascript are both easier to install--you don't even have to install Javascript--and Python is easier to get coding in thanks to 1) fewer high level concepts that Ruby gets from Smalltalk and 2) Idle.

Having said that, Ruby is the superior language to Python once you get going, in my opinion, because of what it steals from Smalltalk.