Pixel wrote:
> 
> ...
>
> Now of course, the arguments above were in favour of Ruby vs Python, but are
> no more :)  Except for saying Ruby guided Python in the right direction.

I really don't think that that's an accurate picture of history. Nested
scopes is something that people have wanted in Python since before Ruby
existed. It was hard to implement before circular garbage collection was
implemented. Circular garbage collection is also something that people
have wanted since before Ruby existed and is not implemented in a way
that is at all similar to Ruby.

It *may* be accurate to say that the impetus for finally unifying types
and classes came from a sense of competition with Ruby. But I'm sure
that for most of the rest, Guido couldn't even answer the question of
whether Ruby supports them or not.

 Paul Prescod