Extension Class
  
    "Copyright (C) 1996-1998, Digital Creations":COPYRIGHT.html.

    A lightweight mechanism has been developed for making Python
    extension types more class-like.  Classes can be developed in an
    extension language, such as C or C++, and these classes can be
    treated like other python classes:
  
    - They can be sub-classed in python,
  
    - They provide access to method documentation strings, and
  
    - They can be used to directly create new instances.
  
    Extension classes provide additional extensions to class and
    instance semantics, including:

    - A protocol for accessing subobjects "in the context of" their
      containers.  This is used to implement custom method types
      and "environmental acquisition":Acquisition.html.

    - A protocol for overriding method call semantics.  This is used
      to implement "synchonized" classes and could be used to
      implement argument type checking.

    - A protocol for class initialization that supports execution of a
      special '__class_init__' method after a class has been
      initialized. 
  
    Extension classes illustrate how the Python class mechanism can be
    extended and may provide a basis for improved or specialized class
    models. 

  Releases

    The current release is "1.2":ExtensionClass-1.2.tar.gz,
    To find out what's changed in this release,
    see the "release notes":release.html.

    Documentation is available "on-line":ExtensionClass.html.

  Windows Binaries

    A win32 binary release, "ec12.zip":ec12.zip, is available.  This
    release includes all of the ExtensionClass modules built as 
    Windows extension modules (.pyd) files.  These were built for
    Python 1.5.1 using Microsoft Visual C++ 5.0 in "Release" mode.