see this web page:
http://docs.python.org/3.1/library/stdtypes.html?
highlight=read#file.read

The description should say:
for Python 3.1 the method reads characters, for instance utf-8 
characters.

if the mode is 'rb', then it reads bytes (i.e. byte == 8 bits).

Context: Linux Ubuntu 9.10, 64 bit, compiled locally.

This section is obsolete and is removed from the documentation in r76893
an r76894. See issue #7508.

Merci Florent
Mais alors où se cache la documentation 3.1 "officiel" sur la classe file.

Jacques

2009/12/21 Florent Xicluna <report@bugs.python.org>

>
> Florent Xicluna <laxyf@yahoo.fr> added the comment:
>
> This section is obsolete and is removed from the documentation in r76893
> an r76894. See issue #7508.
>
> ----------
> nosy: +flox
> resolution:  -> duplicate
> stage:  -> committed/rejected
> status: open -> closed
> superseder:  -> Update 'file object' doc
> title: Imprecise description for the fire.read() method -> Imprecise
> description for the file.read() method
>
> _______________________________________
> Python tracker <report@bugs.python.org>
> <http://bugs.python.org/issue7557>
> _______________________________________
>

It's in the "io" module:
http://docs.python.org/dev/py3k/library/io.html

> Merci Florent
> Mais alors où se cache la documentation 3.1 "officiel" sur la classe file.

Even though we seem to have a disturbing accumulation of French
developers here, please keep to English on the tracker :)