diff --git a/Doc/library/asynchat.rst b/Doc/library/asynchat.rst
index 6f15441..ff6432e 100644
--- a/Doc/library/asynchat.rst
+++ b/Doc/library/asynchat.rst
@@ -81,6 +81,12 @@
    :exc:`NotImplementedError` exception.
 
 
+.. method:: async_chat._collect_incoming_data(data)
+
+   Sample implementation of a data collection rutine to be used in conjunction
+   with :meth:`_get_data` in a user-specified :meth:`found_terminator`.
+
+
 .. method:: async_chat.discard_buffers()
 
    In emergencies this method will discard any data held in the input and/or
@@ -95,6 +101,12 @@
    should be available via an instance attribute.
 
 
+.. method:: async_chat._get_data()
+
+   Will return and clear the data received with the sample
+   :meth:`_collect_incoming_data` implementation.
+
+
 .. method:: async_chat.get_terminator()
 
    Returns the current terminator for the channel.
diff --git a/Doc/library/asyncore.rst b/Doc/library/asyncore.rst
index da94a9b..e40f507 100644
--- a/Doc/library/asyncore.rst
+++ b/Doc/library/asyncore.rst
@@ -222,6 +222,20 @@
       flushed).  Sockets are automatically closed when they are
       garbage-collected.
 
+.. class:: file_dispatcher()
+  A file_dispatcher takes a file descriptor or file object along with an
+  optional map argument and wraps it for use with the :cfunc:`poll`\ or
+  :cfunc:`loop`\ functions.  If provided a file object or anything with a
+  :cfunc:`fileno`\ method, that method will be called and passed to the
+  :class:`file_wrapper` constructor.
+  Availability: UNIX
+
+.. class::file_wrapper()
+  A file_wrapper takes an integer file descriptor and calls os.dup() to
+  duplicate the handle so that the original handle may be closed independently
+  of the file_wrapper.  This class implements sufficient methods to emulate a
+  socket for use by the file_dispatcher class.
+  Availability: UNIX
 
 .. _asyncore-example:
 
diff --git a/Lib/asynchat.py b/Lib/asynchat.py
index 6f99ba1..1d5fb7f 100644
--- a/Lib/asynchat.py
+++ b/Lib/asynchat.py
@@ -60,16 +60,35 @@
     ac_out_buffer_size      = 4096
 
     def __init__ (self, conn=None):
+        # for string terminator matching
         self.ac_in_buffer = ''
-        self.ac_out_buffer = ''
-        self.producer_fifo = fifo()
+
+        # we use a list here rather than cStringIO for a few reasons...
+        # del lst[:] is faster than sio.truncate(0)
+        # lst = [] is faster than sio.truncate(0)
+        # cStringIO will be gaining unicode support in py3k, which
+        # will negatively affect the performance of bytes compared to
+        # a ''.join() equivalent
+        self.incoming = []
+
+        # we toss the use of the "simple producer" and replace it with
+        # a pure deque, which the original fifo was a wrapping of
+        self.producer_fifo = deque()
         asyncore.dispatcher.__init__ (self, conn)
 
     def collect_incoming_data(self, data):
-        raise NotImplementedError, "must be implemented in subclass"
+        raise NotImplementedError("must be implemented in subclass")
+
+    def _collect_incoming_data(self, data):
+        self.incoming.append(data)
+
+    def _get_data(self):
+        d = ''.join(self.incoming)
+        del self.incoming[:]
+        return d
 
     def found_terminator(self):
-        raise NotImplementedError, "must be implemented in subclass"
+        raise NotImplementedError("must be implemented in subclass")
 
     def set_terminator (self, term):
         "Set the input delimiter.  Can be a fixed string of any length, an integer, or None"
@@ -96,7 +115,7 @@
         # Continue to search for self.terminator in self.ac_in_buffer,
         # while calling self.collect_incoming_data.  The while loop
         # is necessary because we might read several data+terminator
-        # combos with a single recv(1024).
+        # combos with a single recv(4096).
 
         while self.ac_in_buffer:
             lb = len(self.ac_in_buffer)
@@ -150,87 +169,82 @@
                         self.ac_in_buffer = ''
 
     def handle_write (self):
-        self.initiate_send ()
+        self.initiate_send()
 
     def handle_close (self):
         self.close()
 
     def push (self, data):
-        self.producer_fifo.push (simple_producer (data))
+        sabs = self.ac_out_buffer_size
+        if len(data) > sabs:
+            for i in xrange(0, len(data), sabs):
+                self.producer_fifo.append(data[i:i+sabs])
+        else:
+            self.producer_fifo.append(data)
         self.initiate_send()
 
     def push_with_producer (self, producer):
-        self.producer_fifo.push (producer)
+        self.producer_fifo.append(producer)
         self.initiate_send()
 
     def readable (self):
         "predicate for inclusion in the readable for select()"
-        return (len(self.ac_in_buffer) <= self.ac_in_buffer_size)
+        # cannot use the old predicate, it violates the claim of the
+        # set_terminator method.
+
+        # return (len(self.ac_in_buffer) <= self.ac_in_buffer_size)
+        return 1
 
     def writable (self):
         "predicate for inclusion in the writable for select()"
-        # return len(self.ac_out_buffer) or len(self.producer_fifo) or (not self.connected)
-        # this is about twice as fast, though not as clear.
-        return not (
-                (self.ac_out_buffer == '') and
-                self.producer_fifo.is_empty() and
-                self.connected
-                )
+        return self.producer_fifo or (not self.connected)
 
     def close_when_done (self):
         "automatically close this channel once the outgoing queue is empty"
-        self.producer_fifo.push (None)
+        self.producer_fifo.append(None)
 
-    # refill the outgoing buffer by calling the more() method
-    # of the first producer in the queue
-    def refill_buffer (self):
-        while 1:
-            if len(self.producer_fifo):
-                p = self.producer_fifo.first()
-                # a 'None' in the producer fifo is a sentinel,
-                # telling us to close the channel.
-                if p is None:
-                    if not self.ac_out_buffer:
-                        self.producer_fifo.pop()
-                        self.close()
+    def initiate_send(self):
+        while self.producer_fifo and self.connected:
+            first = self.producer_fifo[0]
+            # handle empty string/buffer or None entry
+            if not first:
+                del self.producer_fifo[0]
+                if first is None:
+                    self.handle_close()
                     return
-                elif isinstance(p, str):
-                    self.producer_fifo.pop()
-                    self.ac_out_buffer = self.ac_out_buffer + p
-                    return
-                data = p.more()
-                if data:
-                    self.ac_out_buffer = self.ac_out_buffer + data
-                    return
-                else:
-                    self.producer_fifo.pop()
-            else:
-                return
 
-    def initiate_send (self):
-        obs = self.ac_out_buffer_size
-        # try to refill the buffer
-        if (len (self.ac_out_buffer) < obs):
-            self.refill_buffer()
-
-        if self.ac_out_buffer and self.connected:
-            # try to send the buffer
+            # handle classic producer behavior
+            obs = self.ac_out_buffer_size
             try:
-                num_sent = self.send (self.ac_out_buffer[:obs])
-                if num_sent:
-                    self.ac_out_buffer = self.ac_out_buffer[num_sent:]
+                data = buffer(first, 0, obs)
+            except TypeError:
+                data = first.more()
+                if data:
+                    self.producer_fifo.appendleft(data)
+                else:
+                    del self.producer_fifo[0]
+                continue
 
-            except socket.error, why:
+            # send the data
+            try:
+                num_sent = self.send(data)
+            except socket.error:
                 self.handle_error()
                 return
 
+            if num_sent:
+                if num_sent < len(data) or obs < len(first):
+                    self.producer_fifo[0] = first[num_sent:]
+                else:
+                    del self.producer_fifo[0]
+            # we tried to send some actual data
+            return
+
     def discard_buffers (self):
         # Emergencies only!
         self.ac_in_buffer = ''
-        self.ac_out_buffer = ''
-        while self.producer_fifo:
-            self.producer_fifo.pop()
-
+        del self.incoming[:]
+        self.producer_fifo.clear()
 
 class simple_producer:
 
diff --git a/Lib/asyncore.py b/Lib/asyncore.py
index 886c845..184c993 100644
--- a/Lib/asyncore.py
+++ b/Lib/asyncore.py
@@ -53,20 +53,26 @@
 
 import os
 from errno import EALREADY, EINPROGRESS, EWOULDBLOCK, ECONNRESET, \
-     ENOTCONN, ESHUTDOWN, EINTR, EISCONN, errorcode
+     ENOTCONN, ESHUTDOWN, EINTR, EISCONN, EBADF, ECONNABORTED, errorcode
 
 try:
     socket_map
 except NameError:
     socket_map = {}
 
+def _strerror(err):
+    res = os.strerror(err)
+    if res == 'Unknown error':
+        res = errorcode[err]
+    return res
+
 class ExitNow(Exception):
     pass
 
 def read(obj):
     try:
         obj.handle_read_event()
-    except ExitNow:
+    except (ExitNow, KeyboardInterrupt, SystemExit):
         raise
     except:
         obj.handle_error()
@@ -74,15 +80,15 @@
 def write(obj):
     try:
         obj.handle_write_event()
-    except ExitNow:
+    except (ExitNow, KeyboardInterrupt, SystemExit):
         raise
     except:
         obj.handle_error()
 
-def _exception (obj):
+def _exception(obj):
     try:
         obj.handle_expt_event()
-    except ExitNow:
+    except (ExitNow, KeyboardInterrupt, SystemExit):
         raise
     except:
         obj.handle_error()
@@ -95,7 +101,7 @@
             obj.handle_write_event()
         if flags & (select.POLLERR | select.POLLHUP | select.POLLNVAL):
             obj.handle_expt_event()
-    except ExitNow:
+    except (ExitNow, KeyboardInterrupt, SystemExit):
         raise
     except:
         obj.handle_error()
@@ -116,14 +122,15 @@
                 e.append(fd)
         if [] == r == w == e:
             time.sleep(timeout)
-        else:
-            try:
-                r, w, e = select.select(r, w, e, timeout)
-            except select.error, err:
-                if err[0] != EINTR:
-                    raise
-                else:
-                    return
+            return
+
+        try:
+            r, w, e = select.select(r, w, e, timeout)
+        except select.error, err:
+            if err[0] != EINTR:
+                raise
+            else:
+                return
 
         for fd in r:
             obj = map.get(fd)
@@ -209,18 +216,29 @@
         else:
             self._map = map
 
+        self._fileno = None
+
         if sock:
+            # Set to nonblocking just to make sure for cases where we
+            # get a socket from a blocking source.
+            sock.setblocking(0)
             self.set_socket(sock, map)
-            # I think it should inherit this anyway
-            self.socket.setblocking(0)
             self.connected = True
-            # XXX Does the constructor require that the socket passed
-            # be connected?
+            # The constructor no longer requires that the socket
+            # passed be connected.
             try:
                 self.addr = sock.getpeername()
             except socket.error:
-                # The addr isn't crucial
-                pass
+                if err[0] == ENOTCONN:
+                    # To handle the case where we got an unconnected
+                    # socket.
+                    self.connected = False
+                else:
+                    # The socket is broken in some unknown way, alert
+                    # the user and remove it from the map (to prevent
+                    # polling of broken sockets).
+                    self.del_channel(map)
+                    raise
         else:
             self.socket = None
 
@@ -254,10 +272,9 @@
 
     def create_socket(self, family, type):
         self.family_and_type = family, type
-        self.socket = socket.socket(family, type)
-        self.socket.setblocking(0)
-        self._fileno = self.socket.fileno()
-        self.add_channel()
+        sock = socket.socket(family, type)
+        sock.setblocking(0)
+        self.set_socket(sock)
 
     def set_socket(self, sock, map=None):
         self.socket = sock
@@ -295,7 +312,7 @@
     def listen(self, num):
         self.accepting = True
         if os.name == 'nt' and num > 5:
-            num = 1
+            num = 5
         return self.socket.listen(num)
 
     def bind(self, addr):
@@ -310,10 +327,9 @@
             return
         if err in (0, EISCONN):
             self.addr = address
-            self.connected = True
-            self.handle_connect()
+            self.handle_connect_event()
         else:
-            raise socket.error, (err, errorcode[err])
+            raise socket.error(err, errorcode[err])
 
     def accept(self):
         # XXX can return either an address pair or None
@@ -333,9 +349,11 @@
         except socket.error, why:
             if why[0] == EWOULDBLOCK:
                 return 0
+            elif why[0] in (ECONNRESET, ENOTCONN, ESHUTDOWN, ECONNABORTED):
+                self.handle_close()
+                return 0
             else:
                 raise
-            return 0
 
     def recv(self, buffer_size):
         try:
@@ -349,15 +367,21 @@
                 return data
         except socket.error, why:
             # winsock sometimes throws ENOTCONN
-            if why[0] in [ECONNRESET, ENOTCONN, ESHUTDOWN]:
+            if why[0] in [ECONNRESET, ENOTCONN, ESHUTDOWN, ECONNABORTED]:
                 self.handle_close()
                 return ''
             else:
                 raise
 
     def close(self):
+        self.connected = False
+        self.accepting = False
         self.del_channel()
-        self.socket.close()
+        try:
+            self.socket.close()
+        except socket.error, why:
+            if why[0] not in (ENOTCONN, EBADF):
+                raise
 
     # cheap inheritance, used to pass all other attribute
     # references to the underlying socket object.
@@ -377,27 +401,53 @@
 
     def handle_read_event(self):
         if self.accepting:
-            # for an accepting socket, getting a read implies
-            # that we are connected
-            if not self.connected:
-                self.connected = True
+            # accepting sockets are never connected, they "spawn" new
+            # sockets that are connected
             self.handle_accept()
         elif not self.connected:
-            self.handle_connect()
-            self.connected = True
+            self.handle_connect_event()
             self.handle_read()
         else:
             self.handle_read()
 
+    def handle_connect_event(self):
+        self.connected = True
+        self.handle_connect()
+
     def handle_write_event(self):
-        # getting a write implies that we are connected
+        if self.accepting:
+            # Accepting sockets shouldn't get a write event.
+            # We will pretend it didn't happen.
+            return
+
         if not self.connected:
-            self.handle_connect()
-            self.connected = True
+            #check for errors
+            err = self.socket.getsockopt(socket.SOL_SOCKET, socket.SO_ERROR)
+            if err != 0:
+                raise socket.error(err, strerror(err))
+
+            self.handle_connect_event()
         self.handle_write()
 
     def handle_expt_event(self):
-        self.handle_expt()
+        # if the handle_expt is the same default worthless method,
+        # we'll not even bother calling it, we'll instead generate
+        # a useful error
+        x = True
+        try:
+            y1 = self.__class__.handle_expt.im_func
+            y2 = dispatcher.handle_expt.im_func
+            x = y1 is y2
+        except AttributeError:
+            pass
+
+        if x:
+            err = self.socket.getsockopt(socket.SOL_SOCKET, socket.SO_ERROR)
+            msg = _strerror(err)
+
+            raise socket.error(err, msg)
+        else:
+            self.handle_expt()
 
     def handle_error(self):
         nil, t, v, tbinfo = compact_traceback()
@@ -473,7 +523,8 @@
 def compact_traceback():
     t, v, tb = sys.exc_info()
     tbinfo = []
-    assert tb # Must have a traceback
+    if not tb: # Must have a traceback
+        raise AssertionError("traceback does not exist")
     while tb:
         tbinfo.append((
             tb.tb_frame.f_code.co_filename,
@@ -489,11 +540,22 @@
     info = ' '.join(['[%s|%s|%s]' % x for x in tbinfo])
     return (file, function, line), t, v, info
 
-def close_all(map=None):
+def close_all(map=None, ignore_all=False):
     if map is None:
         map = socket_map
     for x in map.values():
-        x.socket.close()
+        try:
+            x.close()
+        except OSError, x:
+            if x[0] == EBADF:
+                pass
+            elif not ignore_all:
+                raise
+        except (ExitNow, KeyboardInterrupt, SystemExit):
+            raise
+        except:
+            if not ignore_all:
+                raise
     map.clear()
 
 # Asynchronous File I/O:
@@ -513,11 +575,12 @@
     import fcntl
 
     class file_wrapper:
-        # here we override just enough to make a file
+        # Here we override just enough to make a file
         # look like a socket for the purposes of asyncore.
+        # The passed fd is automatically os.dup()'d
 
         def __init__(self, fd):
-            self.fd = fd
+            self.fd = os.dup(fd)
 
         def recv(self, *args):
             return os.read(self.fd, *args)
@@ -539,6 +602,10 @@
         def __init__(self, fd, map=None):
             dispatcher.__init__(self, None, map)
             self.connected = True
+            try:
+                fd = fd.fileno()
+            except AttributeError:
+                pass
             self.set_file(fd)
             # set it to non-blocking mode
             flags = fcntl.fcntl(fd, fcntl.F_GETFL, 0)
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_asyncore.py b/Lib/test/test_asyncore.py
index 5fa7555..eead905 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_asyncore.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_asyncore.py
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@
     def __init__(self):
         self.socket = dummysocket()
 
+    def close(self):
+        self.socket.close()
+
 class exitingdummy:
     def __init__(self):
         pass