>EDIT: When I say that Python is the new BASIC, I mean it as a compliment, to say that Python is in the best position to become a lingua franca for non-programmers to learn programming.
I think it is much more common for novice non-programmers to look at some HTML/Javascript that they're curious about and then tweak the javascript a little to change the behavior of the webpage. The tweaking may come from copying a stackoverflow.com answer without unerstanding the underlying principles (aka "cargo cult"). However, these humble beginnings act as the gateway to more systematic learning (.e.g read "Java - The Good Parts by D Crockford", etc).
Because of Javascript's pervasiveness[1], it is much more likely for a beginner to hack around with others' Javascript and then eventually write their own .js rather than download Python and start writing .py files.
Those are my personal observations. Do others see total more beginners downloading Python rather than dipping their toes into Javascript?
[1]
google.com search "get started Javascript" ~211 million hits:
I think it is much more common for novice non-programmers to look at some HTML/Javascript that they're curious about and then tweak the javascript a little to change the behavior of the webpage. The tweaking may come from copying a stackoverflow.com answer without unerstanding the underlying principles (aka "cargo cult"). However, these humble beginnings act as the gateway to more systematic learning (.e.g read "Java - The Good Parts by D Crockford", etc).
Because of Javascript's pervasiveness[1], it is much more likely for a beginner to hack around with others' Javascript and then eventually write their own .js rather than download Python and start writing .py files.
Those are my personal observations. Do others see total more beginners downloading Python rather than dipping their toes into Javascript?
[1] google.com search "get started Javascript" ~211 million hits:
https://www.google.com/search?q=get+started+with+javascript
google.com search "get started Python" ~33 million hits:
https://www.google.com/search?q=get+started+with+python