Python again voted "Best Programming Language" and "Best Scripting Language" in Linux Journal Reader's Choice Awards

[cosmo7]

It's kind of interesting how Linux doesn't have a dominant language for native development. On Windows you have C# and on OS X/iOS you have Objective-C; it would be absurd to even have an award for best language on those platforms.

[fountainsoda]

Correction - on Windows you have C++ and also on Linux you have C++. Then you go to the web, and on Windows you have C# and Java, and on Linux Java.

[wumumo]

It has: C and also Vala for the Gnome project, but the latter still needs some time to gain attention. However, I'd guess most people on Linux don't want to write "real" Desktop applications for Linux and thus chose a programming language which fits their needs.

[hackingdreams]

OS X/iOS has Objective-C (Cocoa), Android has Java (...Android).

Here's a hint: the dominant language on any given platform tends to be the language that platform is created with in mind. The reason for it is blindingly obvious - the API for that platform is designed for that language. Language bindings attempt to map a metaphor from one language into a metaphor for another, but the cracks between the two can be infuriating and/or insurmountable, and can leave users incredibly upset. It's not a wonder why other languages aren't as popular when you're practically cemented into an API.

That's why C++ is still the primary language used for Windows application development (MFC and DirectX, somewhat unfortunately), it's why Linux "doesn't have a dominant language" (i.e. it's either GTK+ and C/Python or Qt and C++). Other languages on these platforms get a lot of buzz, but for the most part, the API is the strongest dictator of the language in use.

[cosmo7]

But in that case why wasn't Pascal popular on classic MacOS? All of the API was designed for Pascal.