> Sounds like a fair feature request for Python 3.3, as long as the
> intention is that users must import some module from the standard
> library and use functions defined in that module.  The operations and
> methods defined for str instances (e.g. ==, <, etc.) should not change
> their behavior.

> Is there an existing 3rd party library that we could adopt (even if it isn't perfect yet)?

I *think* you could use ICU's.  

I'm pretty sure the Parrot people use ICU libraries.

--tom