...isn't the fact that Python's ecosystem being not so web-app-centric, with lots of libraries being design of any use, not specifically in web-apps (think classic desktop apps, scientific computing...), automatically leads to a slower release cycle, and the whole dependency web slows things down and keeps them stable?
...isn't it that web and mobile tech is moving at a faster pace than most other software (don't think this is good thing though...), and the whole Ruby ecosystem being web-centric stimulates the kind of mentality that keeps people wired and always upgrading, refactoring?
It's obvious that there's more in the Python world than web-frameworks ...but not so obvious that it's more in the Ruby world than Rails (not saying that it REALLY isn't, just the outside look of a pythonista)...
It is telling that he only mentions web frameworks and leaves out what is arguably the most important Python library: NumPy. That alone tells me he doesn't truly understand the whole Python ecosystem and, therefor, it's culture.
But I would agree that, in general, the Pythonistas I've interacted with are, in general, a bit more conservative (not afraid of change, just more willing to weigh the cost of change for its benefits) and rubyists are a bit less conservative (not jumping every time you say "squirrel"), but these differences are, in the end, quite small in the grand scheme of things.
>It is telling that he only mentions web frameworks and leaves out what is arguably the most important Python library: NumPy. That alone tells me he doesn't truly understand the whole Python ecosystem and, therefor, it's culture.
"Most important" for who? I've used Python since 1999, and have never used, had a need for, or even installed NumPy.
It's mainly important in the scientific community, not to most enterprise, startup and independent python developers out there.
Good developers move around. I may have done scientific computing a few years ago and be on "web startup" now, or vice versa... And being able to move around and still use the tools you love is F AWESOME, let me tell you!
...but the side effect is that when moving around and keeping the same tools, you tend to also bring one mindset from one area to another, so a bunch of pythonistas hacking on a new web framework may have brought with them small pieces of mindsets from the desktop apps world, systems an ops or even scientific computing, and this is GOOD, IMHO, though it may make certain rhythms of development seem "out of tune" with the speedy "jump and run towards the newest squirrel" style of learning or development...
...isn't it that web and mobile tech is moving at a faster pace than most other software (don't think this is good thing though...), and the whole Ruby ecosystem being web-centric stimulates the kind of mentality that keeps people wired and always upgrading, refactoring?
It's obvious that there's more in the Python world than web-frameworks ...but not so obvious that it's more in the Ruby world than Rails (not saying that it REALLY isn't, just the outside look of a pythonista)...