Python's urllib module convenientlyhandles a great many bits of fetching URLs for you, including HTTP basicauthentication. Unfortunately it does this by pausing everything to 'askthe user for the required information on the controlling terminal' (tomore or less quote from the documentation). This is generally not themost useful behavior in the world, and can even be rather disconcerting.

(A more sensible default behavior would have been to either raise anexception or return a HTTP 'authentication required' status.)

As a

When I started with x86_64 Fedora Core, I still built a few thingsas 32-bit applications on an otherwise 64-bit system; a 32-bit Firefoxto use Adobe's 32-bit only Flash plugins, and a 32-bit mplayer so itcould use Windows codecs to play various content. This has caused a certain amount of heartburn .

Recently, I decided to experiment with 64-bit versions of both (partlybecause doing the 3

Vernon Schyrver in news.admin.net-abuse.email:

The trouble with all "Good Guys" lists is in who pays. Maintaining acomprehensive list that can be widely used is expensive. [...]

Sooner instead of later, those who have financial reasons for seeingthemselves certified as good assume the financial burdens and soare given control. Organizations whose mail is never blocked can'tfind a reason to pay third parties for testamonials. They tell theircorrespodents "If you want my mail,