convert list of tuples into several lists

[Peter Hansen]

Steven Bethard wrote:
> Diez B. Roggisch wrote:
> 
>> zip(*[(1,4),(2,5),(3,6)])
> 
> While this is also the approach I would use, it is worth noting that 
> Guido thinks of this as an abuse of the argument passing machinery:
> 
> http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2003-July/037346.html

I'm not sure that's the same thread I already read where he
dissed zip like that, but what I'm wondering is what is the
alternative?  Is there an equally elegant approach that
doesn't "abuse" the argument passing machinery?

-Peter