[roger_smith]

Well, like I said, I already have experience with VB. Used it frequently for around 4 years for various purposes, and I do somewhat want a challenge, so I'm not really looking for a first language so much as something I can get the furthest with.

I appreciate the response though, I'll keep it in mind.

I am not a programmer.

that said, of your list I personally would say go with Python. Since you don't know exactly what you want to do, python is a good option because it can be used to a certain degree for web app AND OS development work. A large portion of linux uses some level of python scripts/programs, and python can be used for web CGI scripts.

Others may chime in and know more about the nuances of each language, but speaking from my non-programmer viewpoint, I see a LOT of python doing various things.