I agree with the timing and origin. I think corporate backing was just luck. Google used Python very early, but other languages became more prominent in 2005,

I agree with the timing and origin. I think corporate backing was just luck. Google used Python very early, but other languages became more prominent in 2005, culminating in the creation of Go, after which GvR left. Indeed people talked a lot about Google "supporting" Python, but the support was pretty minimal (50% job for GvR, where you cannot really do much). Python has way better marketing though the PSF though. They understood that you can create a circus around the language that is completely removed from engineering, fundamentals and actual core development. If Ruby had been as shameless, it might be #1 today.