I used to do Perl and now work in a Python shop, and the only Perl feature I really miss is closures (as opposed to Python's hobbled-by-design "lambda" construct).
A few years ago, Perl had twice as many projects as Python; now it's almost even.
Of course, I'd rather code Python usually.
From the PyPI front page: "There are currently 5256 packages here." According to cpan.org, the CPAN is up to "14749 modules" -- dunno how many distributions that makes though.
That said, I think you can still be responsible and use Python instead. ;) Might take you a few more keystrokes though.
we've had 90% complete python tools rewritten from scratch in perl because perl is so superior.
disclaimer: i'm a recovering ex-sysadmin
What about Python was getting you stuck at 90%?
http://www.indeed.com/jobtrends?q=python,+perl,+ruby,+php...
The numbers say what most people know: that set of four languages contains 1 that is mature and 3 that are growing. One of them is growing fairly rapidly relative to where it was when the data set started out.
There are tens of thousands of Ruby developers and hundreds (if not thousands) of companies making significant amounts of money, all backed by Ruby.
Who says Python programmers are all jerks?
That they're cold, humorless perfectionists who alienate new and prospective users?
That they have inferiority issues because they're not as popular as they are right?
That they occasionally lapse into self-parody?
And of course competition is good.
And I don't think the community alienates new users, on the contrary I find it very helpful.