[bombolo]

If the 1 second is spent waiting for IO, it will take 1 second in whatever language.

But yes python is slow.

However I've seen good python code be faster than bad C code.

[roflyear]

Well, to be fair the "good python code" is probably just executing something written in c lol. But lots of python is backed up by stuff written in c.

[bombolo]

Not necessarily. Just using a better optimized sort or hash algorithm can make a big difference.

I was talking specifically of pure python code (except the python's standard library itself, where it really is unavoidable).

[kaba0]

Of course algorithmic complexity will trump anything else at big enough n values.