[Python-Dev] buffer('abc') == 'abc' is False ?!

[M.-A. Lemburg]

Guido van Rossum wrote:
>>I was wondering whether this is an oversight or intended. Buffer
>>objects can certainly be compared to strings on a byte-by-byte
>>basis, so the compare result looks like a (long standing)
>>bug to me.
> 
> 
> I'd consider it a feature, designed to convey the subliminal message
> "the buffer type should be deprecated". :-)

Fine, but what alternative is there which meets the following
requirements:

* signals "this data is binary data"
* compares just fine to strings
* gets accepted by all APIs which use the buffer interface to
   access the data
* has a C API which can be used in extensions
* is available in Python 2.1.x and up

(other than rolling my own mxBinary type...)

What I'd basically need is a type which simply wraps up any
string data, plays nice with 8-bit strings and signals
the binary nature of the content.

-- 
Marc-Andre Lemburg
CEO eGenix.com Software GmbH
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