Add a module to the standard library containing fast (C) implementations 
of common text/language related algorithms, to begin specifically Porter 
(and perhaps other) stemming and Levenshtein (and perhaps other) edit 
distance. Both these algorithms are useful in multiple domains, well 
known and understood, and have sample implementations all over the Web, 
but are compute-intensive and prohibitively expensive when implemented 
in pure Python.

I don't think that this should be part of the core standard library.
Did you look at the TextIndexNG project?
http://opensource.zopyx.com/projects/TextIndexNG3/

I agree with Amaury. Pyhton uses the slogan "batteries included" and not
"fusion reactor included". We can and will never include every library
that may be useful for some users. Python core's development cycles are
too slow for fast moving software. Andreas' TXNG3 contains fine
implementations for stemming and levenstein.

The Porter stemming and Levenshtein edit-distance algorithms are not
"fast-moving" nor are they fusion reactors... they've been around
forever, and are simple to implement, but are still useful in various
common scenarios. I'd say this is similar to Python including an
implementation of digest functions such as SHA: it's useful enough, and
compute-intensive enough, to warrant a C implementation. Shipping C
extensions is not an option for everyone; it's especially a pain with
Windows.

Even PHP includes Levenshtein... ;)

Before having a optimized version of common test algorithms, why not starting by a Python? Write and maintain C code is harder, and I'm not sure that performances are critical for such algorithm.

This issue has no patch: if nobody provides a patch, I will close it because I agree with Amaury and Christian (this issue can be solved by an 3rd party module: such module can be written in C).

I'll close this as suggested in msg106281 in a couple of weeks unless someone objects.

I've started on a module called 'texttools'. So far it has Levenshtein and Porter (both coded in C).

If there's interest I'll put it on PyPI.

Suggestions for other additions?