Python has seen a rapid uptake over the last couple of years, while C's popularity is slowly declining, so it's not unthinkable that Python could rank first in the future. Paul Jansen, the CEO of TIOBE Software, believes the popularity of Python is partly the result of its easy learning curve. A lot of Python work these days is done by non-software engineers:
For the first time since the start of the TIOBE index nearly 20 years ago, Java and C don't make up the top 2 positions any more. C is still number one, but it is Python that claims the second position now. Some say that Python's recent surge in popularity is due to booming fields such as data mining, AI and numerical computing. But I have my own take on this. I believe that Python's popularity has to do with general demand. In the past, most programming activities were performed by software engineers. But programming skills are needed everywhere nowadays and there is a lack of good software developers. As a consequence, we need something simple that can be handled by non-software engineers, something easy to learn with fast edit cycles and smooth deployment. Python meets all these needs.C++ ranks fourth with 7.60% and C# takes the fifth spot with a ranking of 4.67%.
Some time ago I had a flat tyre and called the road patrol to help me out. The mechanic asked about my living and when I used the word "software" in my answer, he smiled and started talking very enthousiastically about his own passion: programming in Python. From that moment on, I knew Python would become ubiquitous - Paul Jansen CEO TIOBE Software
Via: Neowin