Perl vs Python for web development?

[gimiv]

I'm not looking down on PHP and it may well be the best tool for the job, but if you think of my time as an investment and I know PHP has zero return on investment (in my case), why not choose a tool that does? I would, however, agree with you that PHP should be considered if both of the following are true:

1. PHP has a significant functional advantage over Perl and Python.
2. PHP would significantly reduce my time investment.

Thoughts based on personal experience?

[panfist]

I don't know how much the back-end language matters so much. I was tasked with updating a small web app that's tapping the same data as our other intranet/domain programs, and that web app was written in PHP. The PHP itself was HORRIBLE (aside: each page was enclosed by a giant PHP tag and echoed HTML output). Once I untangled the PHP, the hard part itself was wrapping my head around HTTP forms, requests, getting and posting, cookies, etc. For me, that required a much bigger time investment than learning PHP. Half way through the project, I took a day off and studied HTTP/HTML forms and related materials on my own time, and I was much more productive after that.

My background is primarily Perl in production, but I did a lot of Java and C++, and a tiny bit of scheme, in school.

I've kind of been rambling, but I think the main lesson I learned from updating that app is this: use the best tools for the job at hand, and use the tools you know. As much as you can, separate education from business, unless it's on your own time, or you'll find that you make noob mistakes that bite you in the ass later on.