On 2007-01-18 22:52:23 -0500, "Gavin Sinclair" <gsinclair / gmail.com> said:

> On Jan 19, 6:03 am, "Giles Bowkett" <gil... / gmail.com> wrote, in part:
> 
>> Basically, the advantage is the bytecode interpreter, and that Ruby
>> came from outside the West. Faster performance plus lower barriers to
>> adoption equals more users.
>> 
>> (Or at least, more users for now. Ruby books are outselling Python
>> books today, according to O'Reilly.)
> 
> Citation needed :)
> 
> The information I've seen on this suggested that Ruby book sales were
> _growing_ at a faster rate than Python book sales.  That's not at all
> the same thing as saying that Ruby books are outselling Python books.
> 
> Of course, perhaps I haven't seen the most up-to-date information.
> 
> Gavin

Well, according to Tim O'Reilly, as late as last August Ruby was 
outselling Python:

http://radar.oreilly.com/archives/2006/08/programming_language_trends_1.html
http://radar.oreilly.com/archives/2005/12/ruby_book_sales_surpass_python.html

No clue whether the trend continued.

Best,
James