[dkersten]

Yeah, Python is bytecode compiled and run in a virtual machine. Hell, you can even JIT it into machine code (psyco, Jython with a JIT-enabled JVM, IronPython with a JIT-enabled CLR). Python never had a traditional interpreter.

[stcredzero]

There were tons of people who were walking around 10 years ago thinking Smalltalk ran on "traditional" bytecode interpreters, when the majority of VM instances used back then running were JIT VM. There was also widespread ignorance about Lisp implementation and performance. The sad part: the degree of misconception is still surprisingly bad. (Much the same held and holds true for Lisp.)

The Interpreter/VM distinction had become hazy and lost its meaning years ago. I think people still hold onto it only as a means of excusing poor language performance.