> I think we all agree that it does not belong in
> __builtins__,
Do we? I'm not convinced. We already have all() and any()
in builtins, which are similar in that they operate on
iterators or iterables.
Good point — I was assuming with all the hostility (OK, skepticism) to the idea, that it was a non-starter. But maybe some of that skepticism is due to the association with itertools.
If it was just me: I probably would put it in builtins. But not before looking around to see how common a name “first” is in existing code.
-CHB