--- webbrowser.py.41511	Fri Dec  2 15:43:59 2005
+++ webbrowser.py	Thu Dec  8 15:30:58 2005
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 """Interfaces for launching and remotely controlling Web browsers."""
 
 import os
+import subprocess
 import sys
 import stat
 
@@ -172,23 +173,44 @@
     remote_background = False
 
     def _remote(self, url, action, autoraise):
-        autoraise = int(bool(autoraise)) # always 0/1
-        raise_opt = self.raise_opts and self.raise_opts[autoraise] or ''
-        cmd = "%s %s %s '%s' >/dev/null 2>&1" % (self.name, raise_opt,
-                                                 self.remote_cmd, action)
-        if self.remote_background:
-            cmd += ' &'
-        rc = os.system(cmd)
-        if rc:
-            cmd = "%s %s" % (self.name, url)
+        raise_opt = ()
+        if self.raise_opts:
+            autoraise = int(bool(autoraise)) # always 0/1
+            ro = self.raise_opts[autoraise]
+            if ro:
+                raise_opt = (ro,)
+        cmd = (self.name,) + raise_opt + (self.remote_cmd,) + action
+        devnull = file('/dev/null', 'r+')        # or __builtin__.open
+        try:
+            p = subprocess.Popen(cmd, close_fds=True, stdin=devnull,
+                            stdout=devnull, stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)
             if self.remote_background:
-                cmd += " &"
-            # bad return status, try again with simpler command
-            rc = os.system(cmd)
+                rc = 0
+            else:
+                rc = p.wait()
+        except OSError:
+                return False
+        if rc:
+            # remote invocation failed, try again with simpler command
+            cmd = (self.name, url)
+            try:
+                import os
+                # if possible, put browser in separate process group, so
+                # keyboard interrupts don't affect browser as well as Python
+                setsid = None
+                if hasattr(os, 'setsid'):
+                    setsid = os.setsid
+                elif hasattr(os, 'setpgrp'):
+                    setsid = os.setpgrp
+                p = subprocess.Popen(cmd, close_fds=True, preexec_fn=setsid)
+            except OSError:
+                return False
+            # double-check that web browser hasn't immediately failed
+            # can never be completely sure that it started up successfully
+            rc = p.poll()
         return not rc
 
     def open(self, url, new=0, autoraise=1):
-        assert "'" not in url
         if new == 0:
             action = self.remote_action
         elif new == 1:
@@ -200,7 +222,21 @@
                 action = self.remote_action_newtab
         else:
             raise Error("Bad 'new' parameter to open(); expected 0, 1, or 2, got %s" % new)
-        return self._remote(url, action % url, autoraise)
+        if isinstance(action, basestring):
+            # backwards compatibility
+            action = action.split()
+            for i, arg in enumerate(action):
+                    if arg[0] in '\'"':
+                            # strip leading and trailing quotes
+                            action[i] = arg[1:-1]
+        actionargs = []
+        for arg in action:
+            if '%s' in arg:
+                actionargs.append(arg % url)
+            else:
+                actionargs.append(arg)
+        ok = self._remote(url, tuple(actionargs), autoraise)
+        return ok
 
 
 class Mozilla(UnixBrowser):
@@ -212,7 +248,6 @@
     remote_action = "openURL(%s)"
     remote_action_newwin = "openURL(%s,new-window)"
     remote_action_newtab = "openURL(%s,new-tab)"
-    remote_background = True
 
 Netscape = Mozilla
 
@@ -221,10 +256,8 @@
     """Launcher class for Galeon/Epiphany browsers."""
 
     raise_opts = ("-noraise", "")
-    remote_action = "-n '%s'"
-    remote_action_newwin = "-w '%s'"
-
-    remote_background = True
+    remote_action = ("-n", "%s")
+    remote_action_newwin = ("-w", "%s")
 
 
 class Konqueror(BaseBrowser):
@@ -268,7 +301,6 @@
     remote_action = "openURL(%s)"
     remote_action_newwin = "openURL(%s,new-window)"
     remote_action_newtab = "openURL(%s,new-page)"
-    remote_background = True
 
 
 class Elinks(UnixBrowser):