diff --git a/Lib/bsddb/dbtables.py b/Lib/bsddb/dbtables.py
index 21cfe58..abc396a 100644
--- a/Lib/bsddb/dbtables.py
+++ b/Lib/bsddb/dbtables.py
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@
         except db.DBError, dberror:
             if txn:
                 txn.abort()
-            if sys.version_info[0] < 3 :
+            if sys.version_info < (2, 6) :
                 raise TableDBError, dberror[1]
             else :
                 raise TableDBError, dberror.args[1]
@@ -416,7 +416,7 @@
             except db.DBError, dberror:
                 if txn:
                     txn.abort()
-                if sys.version_info[0] < 3 :
+                if sys.version_info < (2, 6) :
                     raise TableDBError, dberror[1]
                 else :
                     raise TableDBError, dberror.args[1]
@@ -499,7 +499,7 @@
             if txn:
                 txn.abort()
                 self.db.delete(_rowid_key(table, rowid))
-            if sys.version_info[0] < 3 :
+            if sys.version_info < (2, 6) :
                 raise TableDBError, dberror[1], info[2]
             else :
                 raise TableDBError, dberror.args[1], info[2]
@@ -554,7 +554,7 @@
                     raise
 
         except db.DBError, dberror:
-            if sys.version_info[0] < 3 :
+            if sys.version_info < (2, 6) :
                 raise TableDBError, dberror[1]
             else :
                 raise TableDBError, dberror.args[1]
@@ -598,7 +598,7 @@
                         txn.abort()
                     raise
         except db.DBError, dberror:
-            if sys.version_info[0] < 3 :
+            if sys.version_info < (2, 6) :
                 raise TableDBError, dberror[1]
             else :
                 raise TableDBError, dberror.args[1]
@@ -621,7 +621,7 @@
                 columns = self.__tablecolumns[table]
             matching_rowids = self.__Select(table, columns, conditions)
         except db.DBError, dberror:
-            if sys.version_info[0] < 3 :
+            if sys.version_info < (2, 6) :
                 raise TableDBError, dberror[1]
             else :
                 raise TableDBError, dberror.args[1]
@@ -677,7 +677,7 @@
             # leave all unknown condition callables alone as equals
             return 0
 
-        if sys.version_info[0] < 3 :
+        if sys.version_info < (2, 6) :
             conditionlist = conditions.items()
             conditionlist.sort(cmp_conditions)
         else :  # Insertion Sort. Please, improve
@@ -749,7 +749,7 @@
                         rowdata[column] = self.db.get(
                             _data_key(table, column, rowid))
                     except db.DBError, dberror:
-                        if sys.version_info[0] < 3 :
+                        if sys.version_info < (2, 6) :
                             if dberror[0] != db.DB_NOTFOUND:
                                 raise
                         else :
diff --git a/Lib/bsddb/test/test_basics.py b/Lib/bsddb/test/test_basics.py
index 0be76db..3e8fccf 100644
--- a/Lib/bsddb/test/test_basics.py
+++ b/Lib/bsddb/test/test_basics.py
@@ -139,11 +139,7 @@
         try:
             d.delete('abcd')
         except db.DBNotFoundError, val:
-            import sys
-            if sys.version_info[0] < 3 :
-                self.assertEqual(val[0], db.DB_NOTFOUND)
-            else :
-                self.assertEqual(val.args[0], db.DB_NOTFOUND)
+            self.assertEqual(val.args[0], db.DB_NOTFOUND)
             if verbose: print val
         else:
             self.fail("expected exception")
@@ -162,11 +158,7 @@
         try:
             d.put('abcd', 'this should fail', flags=db.DB_NOOVERWRITE)
         except db.DBKeyExistError, val:
-            import sys
-            if sys.version_info[0] < 3 :
-                self.assertEqual(val[0], db.DB_KEYEXIST)
-            else :
-                self.assertEqual(val.args[0], db.DB_KEYEXIST)
+            self.assertEqual(val.args[0], db.DB_KEYEXIST)
             if verbose: print val
         else:
             self.fail("expected exception")
@@ -301,11 +293,7 @@
                 rec = c.next()
             except db.DBNotFoundError, val:
                 if get_raises_error:
-                    import sys
-                    if sys.version_info[0] < 3 :
-                        self.assertEqual(val[0], db.DB_NOTFOUND)
-                    else :
-                        self.assertEqual(val.args[0], db.DB_NOTFOUND)
+                    self.assertEqual(val.args[0], db.DB_NOTFOUND)
                     if verbose: print val
                     rec = None
                 else:
@@ -326,11 +314,7 @@
                 rec = c.prev()
             except db.DBNotFoundError, val:
                 if get_raises_error:
-                    import sys
-                    if sys.version_info[0] < 3 :
-                        self.assertEqual(val[0], db.DB_NOTFOUND)
-                    else :
-                        self.assertEqual(val.args[0], db.DB_NOTFOUND)
+                    self.assertEqual(val.args[0], db.DB_NOTFOUND)
                     if verbose: print val
                     rec = None
                 else:
@@ -353,11 +337,7 @@
         try:
             n = c.set('bad key')
         except db.DBNotFoundError, val:
-            import sys
-            if sys.version_info[0] < 3 :
-                self.assertEqual(val[0], db.DB_NOTFOUND)
-            else :
-                self.assertEqual(val.args[0], db.DB_NOTFOUND)
+            self.assertEqual(val.args[0], db.DB_NOTFOUND)
             if verbose: print val
         else:
             if set_raises_error:
@@ -371,11 +351,7 @@
         try:
             n = c.get_both('0404', 'bad data')
         except db.DBNotFoundError, val:
-            import sys
-            if sys.version_info[0] < 3 :
-                self.assertEqual(val[0], db.DB_NOTFOUND)
-            else :
-                self.assertEqual(val.args[0], db.DB_NOTFOUND)
+            self.assertEqual(val.args[0], db.DB_NOTFOUND)
             if verbose: print val
         else:
             if get_raises_error:
@@ -404,11 +380,7 @@
             rec = c.current()
         except db.DBKeyEmptyError, val:
             if get_raises_error:
-                import sys
-                if sys.version_info[0] < 3 :
-                    self.assertEqual(val[0], db.DB_KEYEMPTY)
-                else :
-                    self.assertEqual(val.args[0], db.DB_KEYEMPTY)
+                self.assertEqual(val.args[0], db.DB_KEYEMPTY)
                 if verbose: print val
             else:
                 self.fail("unexpected DBKeyEmptyError")
@@ -451,13 +423,9 @@
                     print "attempting to use a closed cursor's %s method" % \
                           method
                 # a bug may cause a NULL pointer dereference...
-                apply(getattr(c, method), args)
+                getattr(c, method)(*args)
             except db.DBError, val:
-                import sys
-                if sys.version_info[0] < 3 :
-                    self.assertEqual(val[0], 0)
-                else :
-                    self.assertEqual(val.args[0], 0)
+                self.assertEqual(val.args[0], 0)
                 if verbose: print val
             else:
                 self.fail("no exception raised when using a buggy cursor's"
@@ -710,10 +678,10 @@
             pass
 
         statDict = self.env.log_stat(0);
-        self.assert_(statDict.has_key('magic'))
-        self.assert_(statDict.has_key('version'))
-        self.assert_(statDict.has_key('cur_file'))
-        self.assert_(statDict.has_key('region_nowait'))
+        self.assertTrue('magic' in statDict)
+        self.assertTrue('version' in statDict)
+        self.assertTrue('cur_file' in statDict)
+        self.assertTrue('region_nowait' in statDict)
 
         # must have at least one log file present:
         logs = self.env.log_archive(db.DB_ARCH_ABS | db.DB_ARCH_LOG)
diff --git a/Lib/bsddb/test/test_compare.py b/Lib/bsddb/test/test_compare.py
index b89ec8c..1d74f59 100644
--- a/Lib/bsddb/test/test_compare.py
+++ b/Lib/bsddb/test/test_compare.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
         data = expected_data[:]
 
         import sys
-        if sys.version_info[0] < 3 :
+        if sys.version_info[:3] < (2, 6, 0):
             if sys.version_info[:3] < (2, 4, 0):
                 data.sort(comparator)
             else :
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
                     data2.append(i)
             data = data2
 
-        self.failUnless (data == expected_data,
+        self.assertEqual (data, expected_data,
                          "comparator `%s' is not right: %s vs. %s"
                          % (comparator, expected_data, data))
     def test_lexical_comparator (self):
@@ -115,14 +115,14 @@
             rec = curs.first ()
             while rec:
                 key, ignore = rec
-                self.failUnless (index < len (expected),
+                self.assertTrue (index < len (expected),
                                  "to many values returned from cursor")
-                self.failUnless (expected[index] == key,
+                self.assertEqual (expected[index], key,
                                  "expected value `%s' at %d but got `%s'"
                                  % (expected[index], index, key))
                 index = index + 1
                 rec = curs.next ()
-            self.failUnless (index == len (expected),
+            self.assertEqual (index, len (expected),
                              "not enough values returned from cursor")
         finally:
             curs.close ()
diff --git a/Lib/bsddb/test/test_dbobj.py b/Lib/bsddb/test/test_dbobj.py
index 7645fbf..e301a5ad 100644
--- a/Lib/bsddb/test/test_dbobj.py
+++ b/Lib/bsddb/test/test_dbobj.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
             def put(self, key, *args, **kwargs):
                 key = key.upper()
                 # call our parent classes put method with an upper case key
-                return apply(dbobj.DB.put, (self, key) + args, kwargs)
+                return dbobj.DB.put(self, key, *args, **kwargs)
         self.env = TestDBEnv()
         self.env.open(self.homeDir, db.DB_CREATE | db.DB_INIT_MPOOL)
         self.db = TestDB(self.env)
diff --git a/Lib/bsddb/test/test_dbshelve.py b/Lib/bsddb/test/test_dbshelve.py
index 5067cab..13f9cd2 100644
--- a/Lib/bsddb/test/test_dbshelve.py
+++ b/Lib/bsddb/test/test_dbshelve.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 import os, string
 import random
 import unittest
+import warnings
 
 
 from test_all import db, dbshelve, test_support, verbose, \
@@ -117,15 +118,11 @@
 
         dbvalues = d.values()
         self.assertEqual(len(dbvalues), len(d.keys()))
-        import sys
-        if sys.version_info[0] < 3 :
-            values.sort()
-            dbvalues.sort()
-            self.assertEqual(values, dbvalues)
-        else :  # XXX: Convert all to strings. Please, improve
-            values.sort(key=lambda x : str(x))
-            dbvalues.sort(key=lambda x : str(x))
-            self.assertEqual(repr(values), repr(dbvalues))
+        with warnings.catch_warnings():
+            warnings.filterwarnings('ignore',
+                                    'comparing unequal types not supported',
+                                    DeprecationWarning)
+            self.assertEqual(sorted(values), sorted(dbvalues))
 
         items = d.items()
         self.assertEqual(len(items), len(values))
diff --git a/Lib/bsddb/test/test_join.py b/Lib/bsddb/test/test_join.py
index d070bf2..9b45df8 100644
--- a/Lib/bsddb/test/test_join.py
+++ b/Lib/bsddb/test/test_join.py
@@ -51,13 +51,13 @@
         # create and populate primary index
         priDB = db.DB(self.env)
         priDB.open(self.filename, "primary", db.DB_BTREE, db.DB_CREATE)
-        map(lambda t, priDB=priDB: apply(priDB.put, t), ProductIndex)
+        map(lambda t, priDB=priDB: priDB.put(*t), ProductIndex)
 
         # create and populate secondary index
         secDB = db.DB(self.env)
         secDB.set_flags(db.DB_DUP | db.DB_DUPSORT)
         secDB.open(self.filename, "secondary", db.DB_BTREE, db.DB_CREATE)
-        map(lambda t, secDB=secDB: apply(secDB.put, t), ColorIndex)
+        map(lambda t, secDB=secDB: secDB.put(*t), ColorIndex)
 
         sCursor = None
         jCursor = None
diff --git a/Lib/bsddb/test/test_recno.py b/Lib/bsddb/test/test_recno.py
index 895be8a..5f3bf3a 100644
--- a/Lib/bsddb/test/test_recno.py
+++ b/Lib/bsddb/test/test_recno.py
@@ -60,11 +60,7 @@
         try:
             data = d[0]  # This should raise a KeyError!?!?!
         except db.DBInvalidArgError, val:
-            import sys
-            if sys.version_info[0] < 3 :
-                self.assertEqual(val[0], db.EINVAL)
-            else :
-                self.assertEqual(val.args[0], db.EINVAL)
+            self.assertEqual(val.args[0], db.EINVAL)
             if verbose: print val
         else:
             self.fail("expected exception")
@@ -269,11 +265,7 @@
         try:                    # this one will fail
             d.append('bad' * 20)
         except db.DBInvalidArgError, val:
-            import sys
-            if sys.version_info[0] < 3 :
-                self.assertEqual(val[0], db.EINVAL)
-            else :
-                self.assertEqual(val.args[0], db.EINVAL)
+            self.assertEqual(val.args[0], db.EINVAL)
             if verbose: print val
         else:
             self.fail("expected exception")