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Django Why: 1. Uses Python

2. Free hosting on Google App Engine (note: to Heroku proponents 5Mb storage is a joke)

3. Python is extensible in a way ruby isnt, even OpenCV has a python port

Finally ruby is more popular with hip programmer crowd (HN reading, Latte sipping, Apple fanbois, with no CS degrees )

While Python is more popular with "gets work done", Googler's and Advanced CS degree holders (E.g. nearly all top CS departments prefer Python after C++ and maybe java), you would be lucky if you found someone using Ruby. If you dont believe me, here is State Of Art OSS in Machine Learning http://mloss.org/software/search/?searchterm=python&post...

Finally Since you are from ASP.NET background, have a look at SCALA it seems to be a nice language and its based on JVM. And twitter started using it after running in issues with Ruby. (Another reason why Ruby should be avoided, consider that python was used for Youtube)

to be frank Neural Nets are out of fashion in both CS Research as well as Data Mining Practice. Try Algorithmic Game Theory, Probabilistic Algorithms, Probabilistic Graphical Models, Bayesian Nets, Support Vector Machines etc.

Sadly this article goes down the same trap of clubbing all STEM disciplines as one. When SUN,GOOG, Intel and MSFT talk, they are talking about EE,Chem Eng., CS, Physics and other useful fields within Science and Engg. However PhD in Marine Biology isn't going to be of much help.

Here are my few observations: Break down by STEM: CS,EE,Chem Engg, Mechanical Engg PhD's are much more in demand than Marine Biology PhD's. Thus when Eric Schmidt talks about lack of students it about these fields.

I can assure you that if you are from a top 30-40 university and have PhD in CS,EE,Chem Eng. or other hard core engineering you are near guaranteed a good job (unless you have messed up royally)

However if you are not from top 30-40 University or did your degree in Chemisty, Marine biology, Physics and or some esoteric branch of Maths you are less likely to get an industrial job. Also i sadly see a lot students working in 40+ ranked universities for a PhD E.g. Syracuse U. and future is really bleak for them.

Thus the issue here is grouping of all STEM PhD's together. However if you are from top 40 Schools in resp engg fields then you dont have to worry as much. If you are not and study marine bio (It sounds cool subject) sadly your job prospects are restricted to Academia!