Missing interfaces in Python...

[redefined.horizons at gmail.com]

I'm coming from a Java background, so please don't stone me...

I see that Python is missing "interfaces". The concept of an interface
is a key to good programming design in Java, but I've read that they
aren't really necessary in Python. I am wondering what technique I can
use in Python to get the same benefits to a program design that I would
get with interfaces in Java.

For example, if I want to have a program with a Car object, and a Bus
object. I want both of these objects to present a common group of
methods that can be used by Mechanic objects, but slightly different
methods that can be used by Driver objects.

In Java I would accomplish this by defining an IFixable interface that
would be implemented by both the Car and Bus objects. Mechanic objects
would work with any object implementing this interface.

How would I approach this problem in Python? I think I would use an
abstract class instead of an interface for IFixable, since Python
supports multiple inheritance, but I'm not sure this is correct.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Scott Huey