I use Sony Vegas Pro 11, haven't delved into after effects yet (tho I probably should!)
My editing ethos would be along the lines of 'less is more', so personally I would say that software comes down to what people feel most comfortable using. That may sound obvious, but what I'm trying to get at, is that software may offer a million bells and whistles, but most effective editing is that which the viewer doesn't even realise has taken place, there can be a tendency to want loads of fancy cuts/transitions, but there's a reason why the most used form in mainstream media is simple cuts.
It works
My advice to anyone starting is start simple, and tweak little fancy bits in when you're used to delivering a narrative.
damn that sounded pretentious lol