[lispm]

> Python can also be compiled to native code, if its developers decide to go that way

With Lisp this is usually done. The first compiler has been written early 60s. Since then zillions have been implemented and used.

> It's more about being "closer to the machine".

If one looks at a single CPU Lisp can compile itself to fast code, even in the range of 50% slower than C - compared to standard Python which can be much slower, unless computation stays in the Python libs which are written in C.

Where Lisp loses is the whole infrastructure to more advanced parts of the hardware and the systems. Linux for example is largely defined with C level interfaces. Lisp uses them, as foreign code and data - it can't use its GC managed memory.

> Native code is a very big market

Still Lisp compiles to native code, usually. There must be other reasons than native code.