My focus is on html,PHP,mysql, javascript, css, ajax because that’s what many websites need. I am still new to the web developing scene(only 5months) so I am busy learning all those topics.
My question is whether or not to add a general purpose language, such as Python or Java, to the list. I only played a little with Python so I don’t know much about it. But is there anything that Python offers that would help me in terms of web development? (besides django and those frameworks). Examples would be great!
If your still learning PHP, JavaScript (AJAX) and mysql you should stick with it for now. If you think you are relatively fit in using this combination. I would take a look into the different frameworks that are exiting for PHP (ZendFramework, CodeIgniter, CakePHP, Symfony and a lot more) and Javascript (jQuery, Prototype+script.aculo.us, ExtJS, MooTools and a lot more).
If you’re getting more and more familiar with the different, but often similar frameworks you really should learn other languages, too. And not only Python. I would take a look at Ruby it is a general purpose language as well and there are a lot of Web-Frameworks too. (Ruby on Rails, Merb (soon to be merged in Rails 3), Sinatra, Camping and a lot more).
If you take a look at Java I would also suggest taking a look at other languages that can be run in the JavaVirtualMachine like Groovy, Scala, JRuby and again a lot more.
It is always good to know other things. So you can get some different approaches to on problem.