Depends on your situation and preferences. Of course, if some has had one and not the other, theyre of course going to say that one. If its a popularity contest, I have no idea.
MY preferences and MY money and MY experience would lean towards a spotted (childrens python).
I also voted for the snake, for the reasons Ophiuchus stated, and also because snakes are usually (probably 99% of the time) less expensive to keep. So if you're a beginner, you won't start out too much in the hole.