Agreed! I'm neck deep in MEL atm (and lovin' it) and about ankle deep in C++. If you're familiar with those languages, you don't have to put on your lucky underwear and cross your fingers before you read the "new features" list.
Indeed. I'm not a bad coder, just been messing with python and interfacing Maya with some external hardware, not for any real reason just to see if I can! Good fun!
"No pressure, no diamonds" Thomas Carlyle