Did you see this post? I think I'm gonna learn Python, as it is relatively easy to learn, often used and still powerful. As far as I know though. I can probably take a Python for GIS course this fall, so I'll actually have something to use it for. That's one of the problems though: the best way I learn programming is to give myself a project and to work on it 'till I really can't get further. It's how I learned Photoshop, GIS, Illustrator, Wordpress. I've tried to learn Python before with Codecademy and some textbooks but I'm not motivated unless I get to make something really cool that isn't a 'type over what we wrote here'. I really hope the Python for GIS class will be good because I think programming is a necessary and useful skill to have in the 21st century. edit: Great site by the way. Amazing design.