I really like Peter Hunt's latest post: How Python wins on the web; quoting a bit:

But oh, how quick are we to forget Python's smashing successes in the Web world. We've got Plone, probably the most popular and comprehensive CMS out there. We've got the platform its built on, Zope, which is (from what I hear) fairly popular, too. We've had PyBloxsom, which until WordPress came along was a very widespread blogging system. And hell, we've got Python's "killer" web app, Trac, which just about everyone is using these days. And oh, BitTorrent. I know it's not a Web application in the traditional server-side sense, but it just shows how capable Python truly is.

What do all of these applications have in common? They certainly don't share a web framework; most of them are developed specific to that application and tailored to various deployment platforms (CGI, FastCGI, custom server, mod_python). Python appears to be falling behind in the world of custom-made Web applications, but in the world of generic, reusable Web applications, Python is doing great.

I wouldn't necessarily throw in the towel for frameworks, but I think Peter's right to bring the focus back to apps. A good environment (language, framework, design methodology, whatever) is good when people build great applications using it. And that's all there is to it. Obviously we have imagination and choice and we can have forward vision, but these are just aspirations; you still have to deliver the application before it really matters. And there's a lot of good applications written in Python, so we have nothing to apologize for.

Interestingly, by this metric, PHP is a really great language. Also by this metric PHP is a really horrible language. PHP is funny that way. What PHP gets really right is that it invites participation, a PHP app is generally approachable. PHP has had a good feedback cycle: good applications exist, starting of the cycle; then it comes back because people regularly tweak and modify the applications they install.

A lot of the features in my incomplete list of web environment features are about making an application inviting for people other than the original developer. These may be people who installed it, people who are tweaking it, or coworkers who come in at different points in its development. The motivation is bringing the feedback cycle back around; so that once we put applications out there we get people (even if very indirectly) coming back around as participants. And, of course, inviting participation without losing good development practices, which are "good" for reasons that apply just as much if not moreso to those late-joiners.

But of course, the feedback cycle starts with great applications. So lets go write applications. If there's lots yet to do in frameworks, there is a near-infinite amount left to do in applications.