ML existed in the early 80s. So did early lazy functional languages (KRC). I could go on in this vein if the "very real sense" he means is about finding basic i

ML existed in the early 80s. So did early lazy functional languages (KRC). I could go on in this vein if the "very real sense" he means is about finding basic ideas vs. developing and spreading them. (I get the impression Rust passes this test, though. E.g. Wadler's "Linear types can change the world" is from 1990, Baker's "Lively linear Lisp" from 1992, and after that I stopped looking.) I haven't read the OP yet.