it should be noted, tho, that for any given application c++ will ALWAYS be faster and generally c++ will use system resources more efficiently. although there are a few scenarios where JIT compilers can manage memory more efficiently, they are generally outweighed by the inefficiency of having the rest of the program compiled JIT as well.

That said, python is easier to code in for basic stuff and thus can generally lead to quicker development times.

(posted from my n900)