guids and super(str)

[Clark C. Evans]

Ok.  I'm trying to make a GUID object, so that, when I nmake a new
one, it generates the guid for me.   Two questions.  First, is the
method below an "ok" way to make a guid?   And second, why doesn't
this override of str work propertly, ie, I'd like the string value
to be the generated guid...

class Identifier(str):
    macaddr = os.popen('/sbin/ifconfig -a | grep ether','r').readline()
    macaddr = "".join(macaddr.split()[1].split(":")).upper()
    def __init__(self):
        val = hex(long(time.time()*1000000))[2:]
        val = "%s:%s" % (macaddr,val)
        str.__init__(self,val)

x = Identifier()

but x is always blank on Python 2.2.2, even though val isn't.

Thanks!

Clark