They are so close, though! I think one lesson Python took is that it's better, even mandatory, to use venv and install stuff in isolated containment. This is e

They are so close, though! I think one lesson Python took is that it's better, even mandatory, to use venv and install stuff in isolated containment. This is exactly what Node/NPM does: "npm instal" creates a new dir, "./node_modules" and installs stuff there, and next "npm" commands will transparently refer to that subdir. This is, in effect, the same thing as a Python's venv! to the point that in my scripts I always name them "python_modules", to give other unfamiliar devs a clue of what it is. If "pip install" just did this transparently, without introducing the whole concept of venvs to the user, it would be a huge step forward. I cannot imagine how it would suck if NPM didn't make its node_module dir, and instead it forced you to first learn all the idiosyncrasies of module isolation.