Earlier quoted context omitted.
Of course people "realise" this. But those REPLs are not actually REPLs. They are interactive language prompts. They aren't actually REPLs. As the joke goes, Python doesn't have a REPL: it lacks READ, EVAL, PRINT and LOOP. Being able to type in code and have it evaluated one line at a time isn't a REPL.
i have no idea what subtle or nuanced distinction you're trying to strike so what exactly do you imagine is the difference between a lisp repl and a python repl? Edit: people that aren't familiar with python (or how interpreters work in general) don't seem to understand that being able to poke and prod the runtime is entirely a function of the runtime, not the language. In cpython you can absolutely do anything you w…
>>> x = 0
>>> def f():
... global x # yuck!
... x += 1
...
>>> def g(y):
... h()
...
>>>
>>> g(f())
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "", line 1, in
File "", line 2, in g
NameError: name 'h' is not defined
>>>
>>> def h(): pass
...
>>> g(f())
>>>
>>> x
2
* (setf x 0)
* (defun f() (incf x))
* (defun g(y) (h))
* (g(f))
debugger invoked on a UNDEFINED-FUNCTION in thread
#:
The function COMMON-LISP-USER::H is undefined.
Type HELP for debugger help, or (SB-EXT:EXIT) to exit from SBCL.
restarts (invokable by number or by possibly-abbreviated name):
0: [CONTINUE ] Retry calling H.
1: [USE-VALUE ] Call specified function.
2: [RETURN-VALUE ] Return specified values.
3: [RETURN-NOTHING] Return zero values.
4: [ABORT ] Exit debugger, returning to top level.
("undefined function")
0] (defun h() nil)
; No debug variables for current frame: using EVAL instead of EVAL-IN-FRAME.
H
0] 0
NIL
* x
1