diff --git a/Lib/threading.py b/Lib/threading.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..79319c1d7ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Lib/threading.py
@@ -0,0 +1,638 @@
+# threading.py:
+# Proposed new threading module, emulating a subset of Java's threading model
+
+import sys
+import time
+import thread
+import traceback
+import StringIO
+
+# Rename some stuff so "from threading import *" is safe
+
+_sys = sys
+del sys
+
+_time = time.time
+_sleep = time.sleep
+del time
+
+_start_new_thread = thread.start_new_thread
+_allocate_lock = thread.allocate_lock
+_get_ident = thread.get_ident
+del thread
+
+_print_exc = traceback.print_exc
+del traceback
+
+_StringIO = StringIO.StringIO
+del StringIO
+
+
+# Debug support (adapted from ihooks.py)
+
+_VERBOSE = 0
+
+if __debug__:
+
+    class _Verbose:
+
+        def __init__(self, verbose=None):
+            if verbose is None:
+                verbose = _VERBOSE
+            self.__verbose = verbose
+
+        def _note(self, format, *args):
+            if self.__verbose:
+                format = format % args
+                format = "%s: %s\n" % (
+                    currentThread().getName(), format)
+                _sys.stderr.write(format)
+
+else:
+    # Disable this when using "python -O"
+    class _Verbose:
+        def __init__(self, verbose=None):
+            pass
+        def _note(self, *args):
+            pass
+
+
+# Synchronization classes
+
+Lock = _allocate_lock
+
+def RLock(*args, **kwargs):
+    return apply(_RLock, args, kwargs)
+
+class _RLock(_Verbose):
+    
+    def __init__(self, verbose=None):
+        _Verbose.__init__(self, verbose)
+        self.__block = _allocate_lock()
+        self.__owner = None
+        self.__count = 0
+
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return "<%s(%s, %d)>" % (
+                self.__class__.__name__,
+                self.__owner and self.__owner.getName(),
+                self.__count)
+
+    def acquire(self, blocking=1):
+        me = currentThread()
+        if self.__owner is me:
+            self.__count = self.__count + 1
+            if __debug__:
+                self._note("%s.acquire(%s): recursive success", self, blocking)
+            return 1
+        rc = self.__block.acquire(blocking)
+        if rc:
+            self.__owner = me
+            self.__count = 1
+            if __debug__:
+                self._note("%s.acquire(%s): initial succes", self, blocking)
+        else:
+            if __debug__:
+                self._note("%s.acquire(%s): failure", self, blocking)
+        return rc
+
+    def release(self):
+        me = currentThread()
+        assert self.__owner is me, "release() of un-acquire()d lock"
+        self.__count = count = self.__count - 1
+        if not count:
+            self.__owner = None
+            self.__block.release()
+            if __debug__:
+                self._note("%s.release(): final release", self)
+        else:
+            if __debug__:
+                self._note("%s.release(): non-final release", self)
+
+    # Internal methods used by condition variables
+
+    def _acquire_restore(self, (count, owner)):
+        self.__block.acquire()
+        self.__count = count
+        self.__owner = owner
+        if __debug__:
+            self._note("%s._acquire_restore()", self)
+
+    def _release_save(self):
+        if __debug__:
+            self._note("%s._release_save()", self)
+        count = self.__count
+        self.__count = 0
+        owner = self.__owner
+        self.__owner = None
+        self.__block.release()
+        return (count, owner)
+
+    def _is_owned(self):
+        return self.__owner is currentThread()
+
+
+def Condition(*args, **kwargs):
+    return apply(_Condition, args, kwargs)
+
+class _Condition(_Verbose):
+
+    def __init__(self, lock=None, verbose=None):
+        _Verbose.__init__(self, verbose)
+        if lock is None:
+            lock = RLock()
+        self.__lock = lock
+        # Export the lock's acquire() and release() methods
+        self.acquire = lock.acquire
+        self.release = lock.release
+        # If the lock defines _release_save() and/or _acquire_restore(),
+        # these override the default implementations (which just call
+        # release() and acquire() on the lock).  Ditto for _is_owned().
+        try:
+            self._release_save = lock._release_save
+        except AttributeError:
+            pass
+        try:
+            self._acquire_restore = lock._acquire_restore
+        except AttributeError:
+            pass
+        try:
+            self._is_owned = lock._is_owned
+        except AttributeError:
+            pass
+        self.__waiters = []
+
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return "<Condition(%s, %d)>" % (self.__lock, len(self.__waiters))
+
+    def _release_save(self):
+        self.__lock.release()           # No state to save
+
+    def _acquire_restore(self, x):
+        self.__lock.acquire()           # Ignore saved state
+
+    def _is_owned(self):
+        if self.__lock.acquire(0):
+            self.__lock.release()
+            return 0
+        else:
+            return 1
+
+    def wait(self, timeout=None):
+        me = currentThread()
+        assert self._is_owned(), "wait() of un-acquire()d lock"
+        waiter = _allocate_lock()
+        waiter.acquire()
+        self.__waiters.append(waiter)
+        saved_state = self._release_save()
+        if timeout is None:
+            waiter.acquire()
+            if __debug__:
+                self._note("%s.wait(): got it", self)
+        else:
+            endtime = _time() + timeout
+            delay = 0.000001 # 1 usec
+            while 1:
+                gotit = waiter.acquire(0)
+                if gotit or _time() >= endtime:
+                    break
+                _sleep(delay)
+                if delay < 1.0:
+                    delay = delay * 2.0
+            if not gotit:
+                if __debug__:
+                    self._note("%s.wait(%s): timed out", self, timeout)
+                try:
+                    self.__waiters.remove(waiter)
+                except ValueError:
+                    pass
+            else:
+                if __debug__:
+                    self._note("%s.wait(%s): got it", self, timeout)
+        self._acquire_restore(saved_state)
+
+    def notify(self, n=1):
+        me = currentThread()
+        assert self._is_owned(), "notify() of un-acquire()d lock"
+        __waiters = self.__waiters
+        waiters = __waiters[:n]
+        if not waiters:
+            if __debug__:
+                self._note("%s.notify(): no waiters", self)
+            return
+        self._note("%s.notify(): notifying %d waiter%s", self, n,
+                   n!=1 and "s" or "")
+        for waiter in waiters:
+            waiter.release()
+            try:
+                __waiters.remove(waiter)
+            except ValueError:
+                pass
+
+    def notifyAll(self):
+        self.notify(len(self.__waiters))
+
+
+def Semaphore(*args, **kwargs):
+    return apply(_Semaphore, args, kwargs)
+
+class _Semaphore(_Verbose):
+
+    # After Tim Peters' semaphore class, but bnot quite the same (no maximum)
+
+    def __init__(self, value=1, verbose=None):
+        assert value >= 0, "Semaphore initial value must be >= 0"
+        _Verbose.__init__(self, verbose)
+        self.__cond = Condition(Lock())
+        self.__value = value
+
+    def acquire(self, blocking=1):
+        rc = 0
+        self.__cond.acquire()
+        while self.__value == 0:
+            if not blocking:
+                break
+            self.__cond.wait()
+        else:
+            self.__value = self.__value - 1
+            rc = 1
+        self.__cond.release()
+        return rc
+
+    def release(self):
+        self.__cond.acquire()
+        self.__value = self.__value + 1
+        self.__cond.notify()
+        self.__cond.release()
+
+
+def Event(*args, **kwargs):
+    return apply(_Event, args, kwargs)
+
+class _Event(_Verbose):
+
+    # After Tim Peters' event class (without is_posted())
+
+    def __init__(self, verbose=None):
+        _Verbose.__init__(self, verbose)
+        self.__cond = Condition(Lock())
+        self.__flag = 0
+
+    def isSet(self):
+        return self.__flag
+
+    def set(self):
+        self.__cond.acquire()
+        self.__flag = 1
+        self.__cond.notifyAll()
+        self.__cond.release()
+
+    def clear(self):
+        self.__cond.acquire()
+        self.__flag = 0
+        self.__cond.release()
+
+    def wait(self, timeout=None):
+        self.__cond.acquire()
+        if not self.__flag:
+            self.__cond.wait(timeout)
+        self.__cond.release()
+
+
+# Helper to generate new thread names
+_counter = 0
+def _newname(template="Thread-%d"):
+    global _counter
+    _counter = _counter + 1
+    return template % _counter
+
+# Active thread administration
+_active_limbo_lock = _allocate_lock()
+_active = {}
+_limbo = {}
+
+
+# Main class for threads
+
+class Thread(_Verbose):
+
+    __initialized = 0
+
+    def __init__(self, group=None, target=None, name=None,
+                 args=(), kwargs={}, verbose=None):
+	assert group is None, "group argument must be None for now"
+        _Verbose.__init__(self, verbose)
+        self.__target = target
+        self.__name = str(name or _newname())
+        self.__args = args
+        self.__kwargs = kwargs
+        self.__daemonic = self._set_daemon()
+        self.__started = 0
+        self.__stopped = 0
+        self.__block = Condition(Lock())
+        self.__initialized = 1
+
+    def _set_daemon(self):
+        # Overridden in _MainThread and _DummyThread
+        return currentThread().isDaemon()
+
+    def __repr__(self):
+        assert self.__initialized, "Thread.__init__() was not called"
+        status = "initial"
+        if self.__started:
+            status = "started"
+        if self.__stopped:
+            status = "stopped"
+        if self.__daemonic:
+            status = status + " daemon"
+        return "<%s(%s, %s)>" % (self.__class__.__name__, self.__name, status)
+
+    def start(self):
+        assert self.__initialized, "Thread.__init__() not called"
+        assert not self.__started, "thread already started"
+        if __debug__:
+            self._note("%s.start(): starting thread", self)
+        _active_limbo_lock.acquire()
+        _limbo[self] = self
+        _active_limbo_lock.release()
+        _start_new_thread(self.__bootstrap, ())
+        self.__started = 1
+        _sleep(0.000001)    # 1 usec, to let the thread run (Solaris hack)
+
+    def run(self):
+        if self.__target:
+            apply(self.__target, self.__args, self.__kwargs)
+
+    def __bootstrap(self):
+        try:
+            self.__started = 1
+            _active_limbo_lock.acquire()
+            _active[_get_ident()] = self
+            del _limbo[self]
+            _active_limbo_lock.release()
+            if __debug__:
+                self._note("%s.__bootstrap(): thread started", self)
+            try:
+                self.run()
+            except SystemExit:
+                if __debug__:
+                    self._note("%s.__bootstrap(): raised SystemExit", self)
+            except:
+                if __debug__:
+                    self._note("%s.__bootstrap(): unhandled exception", self)
+                s = _StringIO()
+                _print_exc(file=s)
+                _sys.stderr.write("Exception in thread %s:\n%s\n" %
+                                 (self.getName(), s.getvalue()))
+            else:
+                if __debug__:
+                    self._note("%s.__bootstrap(): normal return", self)
+        finally:
+            self.__stop()
+            self.__delete()
+
+    def __stop(self):
+        self.__block.acquire()
+        self.__stopped = 1
+        self.__block.notifyAll()
+        self.__block.release()
+
+    def __delete(self):
+        _active_limbo_lock.acquire()
+        del _active[_get_ident()]
+        _active_limbo_lock.release()
+
+    def join(self, timeout=None):
+        assert self.__initialized, "Thread.__init__() not called"
+	assert self.__started, "cannot join thread before it is started"
+        assert self is not currentThread(), "cannot join current thread"
+        if __debug__:
+            if not self.__stopped:
+                self._note("%s.join(): waiting until thread stops", self)
+        self.__block.acquire()
+        if timeout is None:
+	    while not self.__stopped:
+                self.__block.wait()
+            if __debug__:
+                self._note("%s.join(): thread stopped", self)
+        else:
+            deadline = time.time() + timeout
+            while not self.__stopped:
+                delay = deadline - time.time()
+                if delay <= 0:
+                    if __debug__:
+                        self._note("%s.join(): timed out", self)
+                    break
+                self.__block.wait(delay)
+            else:
+                if __debug__:
+                    self._note("%s.join(): thread stopped", self)
+        self.__block.release()
+
+    def getName(self):
+        assert self.__initialized, "Thread.__init__() not called"
+        return self.__name
+
+    def setName(self, name):
+        assert self.__initialized, "Thread.__init__() not called"
+        self.__name = str(name)
+
+    def isAlive(self):
+        assert self.__initialized, "Thread.__init__() not called"
+        return self.__started and not self.__stopped
+    
+    def isDaemon(self):
+        assert self.__initialized, "Thread.__init__() not called"
+        return self.__daemonic
+
+    def setDaemon(self, daemonic):
+        assert self.__initialized, "Thread.__init__() not called"
+        assert not self.__started, "cannot set daemon status of active thread"
+        self.__daemonic = daemonic
+
+
+# Special thread class to represent the main thread
+# This is garbage collected through an exit handler
+
+class _MainThread(Thread):
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        Thread.__init__(self, name="MainThread")
+        self._Thread__started = 1
+        _active_limbo_lock.acquire()
+        _active[_get_ident()] = self
+        _active_limbo_lock.release()
+        try:
+            self.__oldexitfunc = _sys.exitfunc
+        except AttributeError:
+            self.__oldexitfunc = None
+        _sys.exitfunc = self.__exitfunc
+
+    def _set_daemon(self):
+        return 0
+
+    def __exitfunc(self):
+        self._Thread__stop()
+        t = _pickSomeNonDaemonThread()
+        if t:
+            if __debug__:
+                self._note("%s: waiting for other threads", self)
+        while t:
+            t.join()
+            t = _pickSomeNonDaemonThread()
+        if self.__oldexitfunc:
+            if __debug__:
+                self._note("%s: calling exit handler", self)
+            self.__oldexitfunc()
+        if __debug__:
+            self._note("%s: exiting", self)
+        self._Thread__delete()
+
+def _pickSomeNonDaemonThread():
+    for t in enumerate():
+        if not t.isDaemon() and t.isAlive():
+            return t
+    return None
+
+
+# Dummy thread class to represent threads not started here.
+# These aren't garbage collected when they die,
+# nor can they be waited for.
+# Their purpose is to return *something* from currentThread().
+# They are marked as daemon threads so we won't wait for them
+# when we exit (conform previous semantics).
+
+class _DummyThread(Thread):
+    
+    def __init__(self):
+        Thread.__init__(self, name=_newname("Dummy-%d"))
+        self.__Thread_started = 1
+        _active_limbo_lock.acquire()
+        _active[_get_ident()] = self
+        _active_limbo_lock.release()
+
+    def _set_daemon(self):
+        return 1
+
+    def join(self):
+        assert 0, "cannot join a dummy thread"
+
+
+# Global API functions
+
+def currentThread():
+    try:
+        return _active[_get_ident()]
+    except KeyError:
+        print "currentThread(): no current thread for", _get_ident()
+        return _DummyThread()
+
+def activeCount():
+    _active_limbo_lock.acquire()
+    count = len(_active) + len(_limbo)
+    _active_limbo_lock.release()
+    return count
+
+def enumerate():
+    _active_limbo_lock.acquire()
+    active = _active.values() + _limbo.values()
+    _active_limbo_lock.release()
+    return active
+
+
+# Create the main thread object
+
+_MainThread()
+
+
+# Self-test code
+
+def _test():
+
+    import whrandom
+
+    class BoundedQueue(_Verbose):
+
+        def __init__(self, limit):
+            _Verbose.__init__(self)
+            self.mon = RLock()
+            self.rc = Condition(self.mon)
+            self.wc = Condition(self.mon)
+            self.limit = limit
+            self.queue = []
+
+        def put(self, item):
+            self.mon.acquire()
+            while len(self.queue) >= self.limit:
+                self._note("put(%s): queue full", item)
+                self.wc.wait()
+            self.queue.append(item)
+            self._note("put(%s): appended, length now %d",
+                       item, len(self.queue))
+            self.rc.notify()
+            self.mon.release()
+
+        def get(self):
+            self.mon.acquire()
+            while not self.queue:
+                self._note("get(): queue empty")
+                self.rc.wait()
+            item = self.queue[0]
+            del self.queue[0]
+            self._note("get(): got %s, %d left", item, len(self.queue))
+            self.wc.notify()
+            self.mon.release()
+            return item
+
+    class ProducerThread(Thread):
+
+        def __init__(self, queue, quota):
+            Thread.__init__(self, name="Producer")
+            self.queue = queue
+            self.quota = quota
+
+        def run(self):
+            from whrandom import random
+            counter = 0
+            while counter < self.quota:
+                counter = counter + 1
+                self.queue.put("%s.%d" % (self.getName(), counter))
+                _sleep(random() * 0.00001)
+
+
+    class ConsumerThread(Thread):
+
+        def __init__(self, queue, count):
+            Thread.__init__(self, name="Consumer")
+            self.queue = queue
+            self.count = count
+
+        def run(self):
+            while self.count > 0:
+                item = self.queue.get()
+                print item
+                self.count = self.count - 1
+
+    import time
+
+    NP = 3
+    QL = 4
+    NI = 5
+
+    Q = BoundedQueue(QL)
+    P = []
+    for i in range(NP):
+        t = ProducerThread(Q, NI)
+        t.setName("Producer-%d" % (i+1))
+        P.append(t)
+    C = ConsumerThread(Q, NI*NP)
+    for t in P:
+        t.start()
+        _sleep(0.000001)
+    C.start()
+    for t in P:
+        t.join()
+    C.join()
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    _test()
diff --git a/Lib/threading_api.py b/Lib/threading_api.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..285cee104d0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Lib/threading_api.py
@@ -0,0 +1,638 @@
+"""Proposed new higher-level threading interfaces.
+
+This module is safe for use with 'from threading import *'.  It
+defines the following objects:
+
+Lock()
+    A factory function that returns a new primitive lock object.  Once
+    a thread has acquired it, subsequent attempts to acquire it block,
+    until it is released; any thread may release it.
+
+RLock()
+    A factory function that returns a new reentrant lock object.
+    A reentrant lock must be released by the thread that acquired it.
+    Once a thread has acquired a reentrant lock, the same thread may
+    acquire it again without blocking; the thread must release it once
+    for each time it has acquired it.
+
+Condition()
+    A factory function that returns a new condition variable object.
+    A condition variable allows one or more threads to wait until they
+    are notified by another thread.
+
+Semaphore()
+    A factory function that returns a new semaphore object.  A
+    semaphore manages a counter representing the number of release()
+    calls minus the number of acquire() calls, plus an initial value.
+    The acquire() method blocks if necessary until it can return
+    without making the counter negative.
+
+Event()
+    A factory function that returns a new event object.  An event
+    manages a flag that can be set to true with the set() method and
+    reset to false with the clear() method.  The wait() method blocks
+    until the flag is true.
+
+Thread
+    A class that represents a thread of control -- subclassable.
+
+currentThread()
+    A function that returns the Thread object for the caller's thread.
+
+activeCount()
+    A function that returns the number of currently active threads.
+
+enumerate()
+    A function that returns a list of all currently active threads.
+
+Detailed interfaces for each of these are documented below in the form
+of pseudo class definitions.  Note that the classes marked as ``do not
+subclass'' are actually implemented as factory functions; classes are
+shown here as a way to structure the documentation only.
+
+The design of this module is loosely based on Java's threading model.
+However, where Java makes locks and condition variables basic behavior
+of every object, they are separate objects in Python.  Python's Thread
+class supports a subset of the behavior of Java's Thread class;
+currently, there are no priorities, no thread groups, and threads
+cannot be destroyed, stopped, suspended, resumed, or interrupted.  The
+static methods of Java's Thread class, when implemented, are mapped to
+module-level functions.
+
+All methods described below are executed atomically.
+
+"""
+
+
+class Lock:
+    """Primitive lock object.
+
+    *** DO NOT SUBCLASS THIS CLASS ***
+
+    A primitive lock is a synchronization primitive that is not owned
+    by a particular thread when locked.  In Python, it is currently
+    the lowest level synchronization primitive available, implemented
+    directly by the thread extension module.
+
+    A primitive lock is in one of two states, ``locked'' or
+    ``unlocked''.  It is created in the unlocked state.  It has two
+    basic methods, acquire() and release().  When the state is
+    unlocked, acquire() changes the state to locked and returns
+    immediately.  When the state is locked, acquire() blocks until a
+    call to release() in another thread changes it to unlocked, then
+    the acquire() call resets it to locked and returns.  The release()
+    method should only be called in the locked state; it changes the
+    state to unlocked and returns immediately.  When more than one
+    thread is blocked in acquire() waiting for the state to turn to
+    unlocked, only one thread proceeds when a release() call resets
+    the state to unlocked; which one of the waiting threads proceeds
+    is not defined, and may vary across implementations.
+
+    All methods are executed atomically.
+
+    """
+
+    def acquire(self, blocking=1):
+        """Acquire a lock, blocking or non-blocking.
+
+        When invoked without arguments, block until the lock is
+        unlocked, then set it to locked, and return.  There is no
+        return value in this case.
+
+        When invoked with the 'blocking' argument set to true, do the
+        same thing as when called without arguments, and return true.
+
+        When invoked with the 'blocking' argument set to false, do not
+        block.  If a call without argument would block, return false
+        immediately; otherwise, do the same thing as when called
+        without arguments, and return true.
+
+        """
+
+    def release(self):
+        """Release a lock.
+
+        When the lock is locked, reset it to unlocked, and return.  If
+        any other threads are blocked waiting for the lock to become
+        unlocked, allow exactly one of them to proceed.
+
+        Do not call this method when the lock is unlocked.
+
+        There is no return value.
+
+        """
+
+
+class RLock:
+    """Reentrant lock object.
+
+    *** DO NOT SUBCLASS THIS CLASS ***
+
+    A reentrant lock is a synchronization primitive that may be
+    acquired multiple times by the same thread.  Internally, it uses
+    the concepts of ``owning thread'' and ``recursion level'' in
+    addition to the locked/unlocked state used by primitive locks.  In
+    the locked state, some thread owns the lock; in the unlocked
+    state, no thread owns it.
+
+    To lock the lock, a thread calls its acquire() method; this
+    returns once the thread owns the lock.  To unlock the lock, a
+    thread calls its release() method.  acquire()/release() call pairs
+    may be nested; only the final release() (i.e. the release() of the
+    outermost pair) resets the lock to unlocked and allows another
+    thread blocked in acquire() to proceed.
+
+    """
+
+    def acquire(self, blocking=1):
+        """Acquire a lock, blocking or non-blocking.
+
+        When invoked without arguments: if this thread already owns
+        the lock, increment the recursion level by one, and return
+        immediately.  Otherwise, if another thread owns the lock,
+        block until the lock is unlocked.  Once the lock is unlocked
+        (not owned by any thread), then grab ownership, set the
+        recursion level to one, and return.  If more than one thread
+        is blocked waiting until the lock is unlocked, only one at a
+        time will be able to grab ownership of the lock.  There is no
+        return value in this case.
+
+        When invoked with the 'blocking' argument set to true, do the
+        same thing as when called without arguments, and return true.
+
+        When invoked with the 'blocking' argument set to false, do not
+        block.  If a call without argument would block, return false
+        immediately; otherwise, do the same thing as when called
+        without arguments, and return true.
+
+        """
+
+    def release(self):
+        """Release a lock.
+
+        Only call this method when the calling thread owns the lock.
+        Decrement the recursion level.  If after the decrement it is
+        zero, reset the lock to unlocked (not owned by any thread),
+        and if any other threads are blocked waiting for the lock to
+        become unlocked, allow exactly one of them to proceed.  If
+        after the decrement the recursion level is still nonzero, the
+        lock remains locked and owned by the calling thread.
+
+        Do not call this method when the lock is unlocked.
+
+        There is no return value.
+
+        """
+
+
+class Condition:
+    """Synchronized condition variable object.
+
+    *** DO NOT SUBCLASS THIS CLASS ***
+
+    A condition variable is always associated with some kind of lock;
+    this can be passed in or one will be created by default.  (Passing
+    one in is useful when several condition variables must share the
+    same lock.)
+
+    A condition variable has acquire() and release() methods that call
+    the corresponding methods of the associated lock.
+
+    It also has a wait() method, and notify() and notifyAll() methods.
+    These three must only be called when the calling thread has
+    acquired the lock.
+
+    The wait() method releases the lock, and then blocks until it is
+    awakened by a notifiy() or notifyAll() call for the same condition
+    variable in another thread.  Once awakened, it re-acquires the
+    lock and returns.  It is also possible to specify a timeout.
+
+    The notify() method wakes up one of the threads waiting for the
+    condition variable, if any are waiting.  The notifyAll() method
+    wakes up all threads waiting for the condition variable.
+
+    Note: the notify() and notifyAll() methods don't release the
+    lock; this means that the thread or threads awakened will not
+    return from their wait() call immediately, but only when the
+    thread that called notify() or notifyAll() finally relinquishes
+    ownership of the lock.
+
+    Tip: the typical programming style using condition variables uses
+    the lock to synchronize access to some shared state; threads that
+    are interested in a particular change of state call wait()
+    repeatedly until they see the desired state, while threads that
+    modify the state call notify() or notifyAll() when they change the
+    state in such a way that it could possibly be a desired state for
+    one of the waiters.  For example, the following code is a generic
+    producer-consumer situation with unlimited buffer capacity:
+
+        # Consume one item
+        cv.acquire()
+        while not an_item_is_available():
+            cv.wait()
+        get_an_available_item()
+        cv.release()
+
+        # Produce one item
+        cv.acquire()
+        make_an_item_available()
+        cv.notify()
+        cv.release()
+
+    To choose between notify() and notifyAll(), consider whether one
+    state change can be interesting for only one or several waiting
+    threads.  E.g. in a typical producer-consumer situation, adding
+    one item to the buffer only needs to wake up one consumer thread.
+
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, lock=None):
+        """Constructor.
+
+        If the lock argument is given and not None, it must be a Lock
+        or RLock object, and it is used as the underlying lock.
+        Otherwise, a new RLock object is created and used as the
+        underlying lock.
+
+        """
+
+    def acquire(self, *args):
+        """Acquire the underlying lock.
+
+        This method calls the corresponding method on the underlying
+        lock; the return value is whatever that method returns.
+
+        """
+
+    def release(self):
+        """Release the underlying lock.
+
+        This method calls the corresponding method on the underlying
+        lock; there is no return value.
+
+        """
+
+    def wait(self, timeout=None):
+        """Wait until notified or until a timeout occurs.
+
+        This must only be called when the calling thread has acquired
+        the lock.
+
+        This method releases the underlying lock, and then blocks
+        until it is awakened by a notify() or notifyAll() call for the
+        same condition variable in another thread, or until the
+        optional timeout occurs.  Once awakened or timed out, it
+        re-acquires the lock and returns.
+
+        When the timeout argument is present and not None, it should
+        be a floating point number specifying a timeout for the
+        operation in seconds (or fractions thereof).
+
+        When the underlying lock is an RLock, it is not released using
+        its release() method, since this may not actually unlock the
+        lock when it was acquired() multiple times recursively.
+        Instead, an internal interface of the RLock class is used,
+        which really unlocks it even when it has been recursively
+        acquired several times.  Another internal interface is then
+        used to restore the recursion level when the lock is
+        reacquired.
+
+        """
+
+    def notify(self):
+        """Wake up a thread waiting on this condition, if any.
+
+        This must only be called when the calling thread has acquired
+        the lock.
+
+        This method wakes up one of the threads waiting for the
+        condition variable, if any are waiting; it is a no-op if no
+        threads are waiting.
+
+        The current implementation wakes up exactly one thread, if any
+        are waiting.  However, it's not safe to rely on this behavior.
+        A future, optimized implementation may occasionally wake up
+        more than one thread.
+
+        Note: the awakened thread does not actually return from its
+        wait() call until it can reacquire the lock.  Since notify()
+        does not release the lock, its caller should.
+
+        """
+
+    def notifyAll(self):
+        """Wake up all threads waiting on this condition.
+
+        This method acts like notify(), but wakes up all waiting
+        threads instead of one.
+
+        """
+
+
+class Semaphore:
+    """Semaphore object.
+
+    This is one of the oldest synchronization primitives in the
+    history of computer science, invented by the early Dutch computer
+    scientist Edsger W. Dijkstra (he used P() and V() instead of
+    acquire() and release()).
+
+    A semaphore manages an internal counter which is decremented by
+    each acquire() call and incremented by each release() call.  The
+    counter can never go below zero; when acquire() finds that it is
+    zero, it blocks, waiting until some other thread calls release().
+
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, value=1):
+        """Constructor.
+
+        The optional argument gives the initial value for the internal
+        counter; it defaults to 1.
+
+        """
+
+    def acquire(self, blocking=1):
+        """Acquire a semaphore.
+
+        When invoked without arguments: if the internal counter is
+        larger than zero on entry, decrement it by one and return
+        immediately.  If it is zero on entry, block, waiting until
+        some other thread has called release() to make it larger than
+        zero.  This is done with proper interlocking so that if
+        multiple acquire() calls are blocked, release() will wake
+        exactly one of them up.  The implementation may pick one at
+        random, so the order in which blocked threads are awakened
+        should not be relied on.  There is no return value in this
+        case.
+
+        When invoked with the 'blocking' argument set to true, do the
+        same thing as when called without arguments, and return true.
+
+        When invoked with the 'blocking' argument set to false, do not
+        block.  If a call without argument would block, return false
+        immediately; otherwise, do the same thing as when called
+        without arguments, and return true.
+
+        """
+
+    def release(self):
+        """Release a semaphore.
+
+        Increment the internal counter by one.  When it was zero on
+        entry and another thread is waiting for it to become larger
+        than zero again, wake up that thread.
+
+        """
+
+
+class Event:
+    """Event object.
+
+    This is one of the simplest mechanisms for communication between
+    threads: one thread signals an event and another thread, or
+    threads, wait for it.
+
+    An event object manages an internal flag that can be set to true
+    with the set() method and reset to false with the clear() method.
+    The wait() method blocks until the flag is true.
+
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        """Constructor.
+
+        The internal flag is initially false.
+
+        """
+
+    def isSet(self):
+        """Return true iff the internal flag is true."""
+
+    def set(self):
+        """Set the internal flag to true.
+
+        All threads waiting for it to become true are awakened.
+
+        Threads that call wait() once the flag is true will not block
+        at all.
+
+        """
+
+    def clear(self):
+        """Reset the internal flag to false.
+
+        Subsequently, threads calling wait() will block until set() is
+        called to set the internal flag to true again.
+
+        """
+
+    def wait(self, timeout=None):
+        """Block until the internal flag is true.
+
+        If the internal flag is true on entry, return immediately.
+        Otherwise, block until another thread calls set() to set the
+        flag to true, or until the optional timeout occurs.
+
+        When the timeout argument is present and not None, it should
+        be a floating point number specifying a timeout for the
+        operation in seconds (or fractions thereof).
+
+        """
+
+
+class Thread:
+    """Thread class.
+
+    *** ONLY OVERRIDE THE __init__() AND run() METHODS OF THIS CLASS ***
+
+    This class represents an activity that is run in a separate thread
+    of control.  There are two ways to specify the activity: by
+    passing a callable object to the constructor, or by overriding the
+    run() method in a subclass.  No other methods (except for the
+    constructor) should be overridden in a subclass.
+
+    Once a thread object is created, its activity must be started by
+    calling the thread's start() method.  This invokes the run()
+    method in a separate thread of control.
+
+    Once the thread's activity is started, the thread is considered
+    'alive' and 'active' (these concepts are almost, but not quite
+    exactly, the same; their definition is intentionally somewhat
+    vague).  It stops being alive and active when its run() method
+    terminates -- either normally, or by raising an unhandled
+    exception.  The isAlive() method tests whether the thread is
+    alive.
+
+    Other threads can call a thread's join() method.  This blocks the
+    calling thread until the thread whose join() method is called
+    is terminated.
+
+    A thread has a name.  The name can be passed to the constructor,
+    set with the setName() method, and retrieved with the getName()
+    method.
+
+    A thread can be flagged as a ``daemon thread''.  The significance
+    of this flag is that the entire Python program exits when only
+    daemon threads are left.  The initial value is inherited from the
+    creating thread.  The flag can be set with the setDaemon() method
+    and retrieved with the getDaemon() method.
+
+    There is a ``main thread'' object; this corresponds to the
+    initial thread of control in the Python program.  It is not a
+    daemon thread.
+
+    There is the possibility that ``dummy thread objects'' are
+    created.  These are thread objects corresponding to ``alien
+    threads''.  These are threads of control started outside the
+    threading module, e.g. directly from C code.  Dummy thread objects
+    have limited functionality; they are always considered alive,
+    active, and daemonic, and cannot be join()ed.  They are never
+    deleted, since it is impossible to detect the termination of alien
+    threads.
+
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, group=None, target=None, name=None,
+                 args=(), kwargs={}):
+        """Thread constructor.
+
+        This constructor should always be called with keyword
+        arguments.  Arguments are:
+
+        group
+            Should be None; reserved for future extension when a
+            ThreadGroup class is implemented.
+
+        target
+            Callable object to be invoked by the run() method.
+            Defaults to None, meaning nothing is called.
+
+        name
+            The thread name.  By default, a unique name is constructed
+            of the form ``Thread-N'' where N is a small decimal
+            number.
+
+        args
+            Argument tuple for the target invocation.  Defaults to ().
+
+        kwargs
+            Keyword argument dictionary for the target invocation.
+            Defaults to {}.
+
+        If the subclass overrides the constructor, it must make sure
+        to invoke the base class constructor (Thread.__init__())
+        before doing anything else to the thread.
+
+        """
+
+    def start(self):
+        """Start the thread's activity.
+
+        This must be called at most once per thread object.  It
+        arranges for the object's run() method to be invoked in a
+        separate thread of control.
+
+        """
+
+    def run(self):
+        """Method representing the thread's activity.
+
+        You may override this method in a subclass.  The standard
+        run() method invokes the callable object passed as the
+        'target' argument, if any, with sequential and keyword
+        arguments taken from the 'args' and 'kwargs' arguments,
+        respectively.
+
+        """
+
+    def join(self, timeout=None):
+        """Wait until the thread terminates.
+
+        This blocks the calling thread until the thread whose join()
+        method is called terminates -- either normally or through an
+        unhandled exception -- or until the optional timeout occurs.
+
+        When the timeout argument is present and not None, it should
+        be a floating point number specifying a timeout for the
+        operation in seconds (or fractions thereof).
+
+        A thread can be join()ed many times.
+
+        A thread cannot join itself because this would cause a
+        deadlock.
+
+        It is an error to attempt to join() a thread before it has
+        been started.
+
+        """
+
+    def getName(self):
+        """Return the thread's name."""
+
+    def setName(self, name):
+        """Set the thread's name.
+
+        The name is a string used for identification purposes only.
+        It has no semantics.  Multiple threads may be given the same
+        name.  The initial name is set by the constructor.
+
+        """
+
+    def isAlive(self):
+        """Return whether the thread is alive.
+
+        Roughly, a thread is alive from the moment the start() method
+        returns until its run() method terminates.
+
+        """
+
+    def isDaemon(self):
+        """Return the thread's daemon flag."""
+
+    def setDaemon(self):
+        """Set the thread's daemon flag.
+
+        This must be called before start() is called.
+
+        The initial value is inherited from the creating thread.
+
+        The entire Python program exits when no active non-daemon
+        threads are left.
+
+        """
+
+
+# Module-level functions:
+
+
+def currentThread():
+    """Return the current Thread object.
+
+    This function returns the Thread object corresponding to the
+    caller's thread of control.
+
+    If the caller's thread of control was not created through the
+    threading module, a dummy thread object with limited functionality
+    is returned.
+
+    """
+
+
+def activeCount():
+    """Return the number of currently active Thread objects.
+
+    The returned count is equal to the length of the list returned by
+    enumerate().
+
+    """
+
+
+def enumerate():
+    """Return a list of all currently active Thread objects.
+
+    The list includes daemonic threads, dummy thread objects created
+    by currentThread(), and the main thread.  It excludes terminated
+    threads and threads that have not yet been started.
+
+    """