Zed thank you, someone posted a link to your site last night and I think it is very right for me. I will use it.

As per the Windows vs Linux debate - I have found most physics labs use either various Linux distros (Red Hat is super popular) or OSX. I myself have a MacBook Pro running OSX and so I just downloaded and will be using TextWranger as an editor to complete the lessons.

Lots of informative advice, I am very grateful to all of you. Thanks again. I think I will go with Python or Ruby after I check out the resources in the links that were posted. I plan to build my knowledge but as a person with a science background, I'm happiest when I'm solving a problem so I definitively see the merit in working on the project whist learning.

I don't think I have any further questions - I got loads more helpful advice than I thought I would ever get and again, I'm very grateful. The only couple things I feel are worth mentioning is that I am using a Mac and I have actually written a couple subroutine packages for HPC in FORTRAN but they are nothing too special as FORTRAN syntax is very simplistic.

I would also suggest one more thing: http://mitpress.mit.edu/SICM/

Since you say you have dabbled with physics, you may find this sort of method useful.