[Python-Dev] (Idea) subclassable string: path object?

[Just van Rossum]

Every once in a while I wished for an path object to manipulate file system
paths. Things like
   os.path.join(a, b, c, os.path.splitext(os.path.basename(p))[0] + ".ext")
quickly get frustrating (so of course I never write them like that ;-).

I thought of implementing a path object several times, but always stopped when I
realized (for the Nth time ;-) that you'd then have to do something like
   file = open(p.tostring())
whenever you want to *use* your pat. That doesn't help at all.

But: since strings are now subclassable (there are, aren't they?) this should no
longer be a problem!

Would it be a worthwile project to design and implement a path object for the
standard library?

Just