I really appreciated reading this and getting your opinion on the differences, especially given your particular situation. I'm still constantly perplexed by the common preference for Python over Perl and in many cases the even more caustic view that, "Perl is bad, you shouldn't use it," usually because of vague reasons being reiterated from some biased author at a trade magazine or blog. I've had several arguments with the VP I work under where that's his belief and he refuses to budge on it, which is made funnier by the fact that all the new automated metric tools he loves and raves about I wrote... in Perl. :-)

Not too long ago we were interviewing a potential new engineer, and part of that process involves taking them around and introducing them to a bunch of members in our little group here so each of us can give a quick overview of the increasingly random list of things we work on for the company. She had almost that exact response of, "Perl is bad, you shouldn't use it," and I was really surprised she said that after I told her I used it and motioned to a stack of Perl books on my desk. Good that she's willing to state her opinion, although obviously not particularly tactful about it in this case. When I asked why she felt that way, she said that's what her colleagues at her previous employer (Atmel) all more or less thought and told her. I gave a shoulder shrug, suggested not necessarily taking other peoples opinion at face value, and more or less said "a tool is a tool and as long as it gets the job done, great." I'm just glad my tool happens to be a Swiss Army Chainsaw. :-)

Almost everyone I work with codes in Python, lots of Rat Books around, but honestly most of them just dabble and do little quick hacks with it, only one of them uses it to the extent I use Perl at work (though he is admittedly a lot more knowledgeable on just about everything Computer Science than I am). He's not opposed to me using Perl anymore than I'm opposed to him using Python, we occasionally zing each other for fun, but I accept that he just likes Python and he accepts that I just like Perl. We even haphazardly try to help debug each others code from time to time.

What does miff me is the often smug and superior attitude of many that prefer Python. I shudder at the thought of having to learn Parseltongue in the future out of necessity to get a job with a Snake Cult. I just really like Perl, I'll use it over something else as long as I'm allowed.

Humor Tangent: My inner six year old was absolutely delighted to discover you are in fact at the time of posting, a French Friar. :-)