recently i had this infatuation with python, it works so much like lisp minus the macro system..
I felt the code written in python is much easier to understand than java/c++, java/c++ forces abstractions on to you..
what beginners want is a good scripting language that they can just throw together a couple of lines to get some result.. python/perl comes to mind, though, visual basic is good if prototype is all you aspires to..
try javascript too, it's rather fun
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lisp hacker

running: FreeBSD 5.4 - still learning

develop with: SBCL + emacs for lisp, Anjuta IDE +gcc for c, SPE for python..
browse with: opera