Python
Python, like Perl, is a language that can be
used on the command line (type "python") or
as a scripting or programming language.
Some resources:
Wikipedia;
python.org;
tutorial; and
intro.
These last two look pretty helpful.
Python has grown so much over the past few years that
it now competes with Perl as the dominant preferred
language among hackers, webmasters, and scripters.
Why Python?
One major advantage of Python over Perl is that it
is much easier to learn; the language looks more
like English; and the syntax and structure is a lot
more flexible.
For example: Loops and conditional statements etc.
in Python are all simply indicated by indentations.
(Good practice always; necessary for Python.)
And you don't have to close loops either -- just
end the indentation. Terrific!
Another reason that people like Python is that
it interacts very nicely with all kinds of
other languages and toolkits.
Python also handles strings very nicely.
Python is also very good at lists
and at dictionaries ("hashs" in Perl).
Examples
Here is an example of a Python program
that I wrote: radectodeg.py.
The input file is taurus.hipp.radec
and the output you should get is taurus.hipp.deg.
Here's another example.
The first example is more of a program, while
the second is more of a script (though the line
is fuzzy, of course).