diff --git a/Lib/sre.py b/Lib/sre.py
index bb4bc16..8bf0fad 100644
--- a/Lib/sre.py
+++ b/Lib/sre.py
@@ -105,9 +105,6 @@
 
 __version__ = "2.2.1"
 
-# this module works under 1.5.2 and later.  don't use string methods
-import string
-
 # flags
 I = IGNORECASE = sre_compile.SRE_FLAG_IGNORECASE # ignore case
 L = LOCALE = sre_compile.SRE_FLAG_LOCALE # assume current 8-bit locale
@@ -201,7 +198,7 @@
                 s[i] = "\\000"
             else:
                 s[i] = "\\" + c
-    return _join(s, pattern)
+    return pattern[:0].join(s)
 
 # --------------------------------------------------------------------
 # internals
@@ -213,10 +210,6 @@
 
 _MAXCACHE = 100
 
-def _join(seq, sep):
-    # internal: join into string having the same type as sep
-    return string.join(seq, sep[:0])
-
 def _compile(*key):
     # internal: compile pattern
     cachekey = (type(key[0]),) + key
diff --git a/Lib/sre_constants.py b/Lib/sre_constants.py
index 002b195..1863f48 100644
--- a/Lib/sre_constants.py
+++ b/Lib/sre_constants.py
@@ -217,12 +217,11 @@
 SRE_INFO_CHARSET = 4 # pattern starts with character from given set
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-    import string
     def dump(f, d, prefix):
         items = d.items()
         items.sort(key=lambda a: a[1])
         for k, v in items:
-            f.write("#define %s_%s %s\n" % (prefix, string.upper(k), v))
+            f.write("#define %s_%s %s\n" % (prefix, k.upper(), v))
     f = open("sre_constants.h", "w")
     f.write("""\
 /*
diff --git a/Lib/sre_parse.py b/Lib/sre_parse.py
index 94d526d..5c4298a 100644
--- a/Lib/sre_parse.py
+++ b/Lib/sre_parse.py
@@ -12,8 +12,7 @@
 
 # XXX: show string offset and offending character for all errors
 
-# this module works under 1.5.2 and later.  don't use string methods
-import string, sys
+import sys
 
 from sre_constants import *
 
@@ -63,13 +62,6 @@
     "u": SRE_FLAG_UNICODE,
 }
 
-# figure out best way to convert hex/octal numbers to integers
-try:
-    int("10", 8)
-    atoi = int # 2.0 and later
-except TypeError:
-    atoi = string.atoi # 1.5.2
-
 class Pattern:
     # master pattern object.  keeps track of global attributes
     def __init__(self):
@@ -233,7 +225,7 @@
 def _group(escape, groups):
     # check if the escape string represents a valid group
     try:
-        gid = atoi(escape[1:])
+        gid = int(escape[1:])
         if gid and gid < groups:
             return gid
     except ValueError:
@@ -256,13 +248,13 @@
             escape = escape[2:]
             if len(escape) != 2:
                 raise error, "bogus escape: %s" % repr("\\" + escape)
-            return LITERAL, atoi(escape, 16) & 0xff
+            return LITERAL, int(escape, 16) & 0xff
         elif escape[1:2] in OCTDIGITS:
             # octal escape (up to three digits)
             while source.next in OCTDIGITS and len(escape) < 5:
                 escape = escape + source.get()
             escape = escape[1:]
-            return LITERAL, atoi(escape, 8) & 0xff
+            return LITERAL, int(escape, 8) & 0xff
         if len(escape) == 2:
             return LITERAL, ord(escape[1])
     except ValueError:
@@ -284,12 +276,12 @@
                 escape = escape + source.get()
             if len(escape) != 4:
                 raise ValueError
-            return LITERAL, atoi(escape[2:], 16) & 0xff
+            return LITERAL, int(escape[2:], 16) & 0xff
         elif escape[1:2] == "0":
             # octal escape
             while source.next in OCTDIGITS and len(escape) < 4:
                 escape = escape + source.get()
-            return LITERAL, atoi(escape[1:], 8) & 0xff
+            return LITERAL, int(escape[1:], 8) & 0xff
         elif escape[1:2] in DIGITS:
             # octal escape *or* decimal group reference (sigh)
             if source.next in DIGITS:
@@ -298,7 +290,7 @@
                     source.next in OCTDIGITS):
                     # got three octal digits; this is an octal escape
                     escape = escape + source.get()
-                    return LITERAL, atoi(escape[1:], 8) & 0xff
+                    return LITERAL, int(escape[1:], 8) & 0xff
             # got at least one decimal digit; this is a group reference
             group = _group(escape, state.groups)
             if group:
@@ -503,9 +495,9 @@
                     source.seek(here)
                     continue
                 if lo:
-                    min = atoi(lo)
+                    min = int(lo)
                 if hi:
-                    max = atoi(hi)
+                    max = int(hi)
                 if max < min:
                     raise error, "bad repeat interval"
             else:
@@ -617,7 +609,7 @@
                             raise error, "unknown group name"
                     else:
                         try:
-                            condgroup = atoi(condname)
+                            condgroup = int(condname)
                         except ValueError:
                             raise error, "bad character in group name"
                 else:
@@ -730,7 +722,7 @@
                 if not name:
                     raise error, "bad group name"
                 try:
-                    index = atoi(name)
+                    index = int(name)
                 except ValueError:
                     if not isname(name):
                         raise error, "bad character in group name"
@@ -754,7 +746,7 @@
                         break
                 if not code:
                     this = this[1:]
-                    code = LITERAL, makechar(atoi(this[-6:], 8) & 0xff)
+                    code = LITERAL, makechar(int(this[-6:], 8) & 0xff)
                 if code[0] is LITERAL:
                     literal(code[1])
                 else:
@@ -793,4 +785,4 @@
                 raise IndexError
     except IndexError:
         raise error, "empty group"
-    return string.join(literals, sep)
+    return sep.join(literals)
diff --git a/Lib/string.py b/Lib/string.py
index bc10c20..d166f38 100644
--- a/Lib/string.py
+++ b/Lib/string.py
@@ -35,10 +35,116 @@
 
 # Case conversion helpers
 # Use str to convert Unicode literal in case of -U
+# Note that Cookie.py bogusly uses _idmap :(
 l = map(chr, xrange(256))
 _idmap = str('').join(l)
 del l
 
+# Functions which aren't available as string methods.
+
+# Capitalize the words in a string, e.g. " aBc  dEf " -> "Abc Def".
+# See also regsub.capwords().
+def capwords(s, sep=None):
+    """capwords(s, [sep]) -> string
+
+    Split the argument into words using split, capitalize each
+    word using capitalize, and join the capitalized words using
+    join. Note that this replaces runs of whitespace characters by
+    a single space.
+
+    """
+    return (sep or ' ').join([x.capitalize() for x in s.split(sep)])
+
+
+# Construct a translation string
+_idmapL = None
+def maketrans(fromstr, tostr):
+    """maketrans(frm, to) -> string
+
+    Return a translation table (a string of 256 bytes long)
+    suitable for use in string.translate.  The strings frm and to
+    must be of the same length.
+
+    """
+    if len(fromstr) != len(tostr):
+        raise ValueError, "maketrans arguments must have same length"
+    global _idmapL
+    if not _idmapL:
+        _idmapL = map(None, _idmap)
+    L = _idmapL[:]
+    fromstr = map(ord, fromstr)
+    for i in range(len(fromstr)):
+        L[fromstr[i]] = tostr[i]
+    return ''.join(L)
+
+
+
+import re as _re
+
+class Template(unicode):
+    """A string class for supporting $-substitutions."""
+    __slots__ = []
+
+    # Search for $$, $identifier, ${identifier}, and any bare $'s
+    pattern = _re.compile(r"""
+# Match exactly two $'s -- this is the escape sequence
+(?P<escaped>\${2})|
+# Match a $ followed by a Python identifier
+\$(?P<named>[_a-z][_a-z0-9]*)|
+# Match a $ followed by a brace delimited identifier
+\${(?P<braced>[_a-z][_a-z0-9]*)}|
+# Match any other $'s
+(?P<bogus>\$)
+""", _re.IGNORECASE | _re.VERBOSE)
+
+    def __mod__(self, mapping):
+        def convert(mo):
+            groups = mo.groupdict()
+            if groups.get('escaped') is not None:
+                return '$'
+            if groups.get('bogus') is not None:
+                raise ValueError('Invalid placeholder at index %d' %
+                                 mo.start('bogus'))
+            val = mapping[groups.get('named') or groups.get('braced')]
+            return unicode(val)
+        return self.pattern.sub(convert, self)
+
+
+class SafeTemplate(Template):
+    """A string class for supporting $-substitutions.
+
+    This class is 'safe' in the sense that you will never get KeyErrors if
+    there are placeholders missing from the interpolation dictionary.  In that
+    case, you will get the original placeholder in the value string.
+    """
+    __slots__ = []
+
+    def __mod__(self, mapping):
+        def convert(mo):
+            groups = mo.groupdict()
+            if groups.get('escaped') is not None:
+                return '$'
+            if groups.get('bogus') is not None:
+                raise ValueError('Invalid placeholder at index %d' %
+                                 mo.start('bogus'))
+            named = groups.get('named')
+            if named is not None:
+                try:
+                    return unicode(mapping[named])
+                except KeyError:
+                    return '$' + named
+            braced = groups.get('braced')
+            try:
+                return unicode(mapping[braced])
+            except KeyError:
+                return '${' + braced + '}'
+        return self.pattern.sub(convert, self)
+
+
+
+# NOTE: Everything below here is deprecated.  Use string methods instead.
+# This stuff will go away in Python 3.0.
+
 # Backward compatible names for exceptions
 index_error = ValueError
 atoi_error = ValueError
@@ -336,40 +442,6 @@
     """
     return s.capitalize()
 
-# Capitalize the words in a string, e.g. " aBc  dEf " -> "Abc Def".
-# See also regsub.capwords().
-def capwords(s, sep=None):
-    """capwords(s, [sep]) -> string
-
-    Split the argument into words using split, capitalize each
-    word using capitalize, and join the capitalized words using
-    join. Note that this replaces runs of whitespace characters by
-    a single space.
-
-    """
-    return join(map(capitalize, s.split(sep)), sep or ' ')
-
-# Construct a translation string
-_idmapL = None
-def maketrans(fromstr, tostr):
-    """maketrans(frm, to) -> string
-
-    Return a translation table (a string of 256 bytes long)
-    suitable for use in string.translate.  The strings frm and to
-    must be of the same length.
-
-    """
-    if len(fromstr) != len(tostr):
-        raise ValueError, "maketrans arguments must have same length"
-    global _idmapL
-    if not _idmapL:
-        _idmapL = map(None, _idmap)
-    L = _idmapL[:]
-    fromstr = map(ord, fromstr)
-    for i in range(len(fromstr)):
-        L[fromstr[i]] = tostr[i]
-    return join(L, "")
-
 # Substring replacement (global)
 def replace(s, old, new, maxsplit=-1):
     """replace (str, old, new[, maxsplit]) -> string
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_pep292.py b/Lib/test/test_pep292.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7eff309
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Lib/test/test_pep292.py
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+# Copyright (C) 2004 Python Software Foundation
+# Author: barry@python.org (Barry Warsaw)
+# License: http://www.opensource.org/licenses/PythonSoftFoundation.php
+
+import unittest
+from string import Template, SafeTemplate
+
+class TestTemplate(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    def test_regular_templates(self):
+        s = Template('$who likes to eat a bag of $what worth $$100')
+        self.assertEqual(s % dict(who='tim', what='ham'),
+                         'tim likes to eat a bag of ham worth $100')
+        self.assertRaises(KeyError, lambda s, d: s % d, s, dict(who='tim'))
+
+    def test_regular_templates_with_braces(self):
+        s = Template('$who likes ${what} for ${meal}')
+        self.assertEqual(s % dict(who='tim', what='ham', meal='dinner'),
+                         'tim likes ham for dinner')
+        self.assertRaises(KeyError, lambda s, d: s % d,
+                          s, dict(who='tim', what='ham'))
+
+    def test_escapes(self):
+        eq = self.assertEqual
+        s = Template('$who likes to eat a bag of $$what worth $$100')
+        eq(s % dict(who='tim', what='ham'),
+           'tim likes to eat a bag of $what worth $100')
+        s = Template('$who likes $$')
+        eq(s % dict(who='tim', what='ham'), 'tim likes $')
+
+    def test_percents(self):
+        s = Template('%(foo)s $foo ${foo}')
+        self.assertEqual(s % dict(foo='baz'), '%(foo)s baz baz')
+        s = SafeTemplate('%(foo)s $foo ${foo}')
+        self.assertEqual(s % dict(foo='baz'), '%(foo)s baz baz')
+
+    def test_stringification(self):
+        s = Template('tim has eaten $count bags of ham today')
+        self.assertEqual(s % dict(count=7),
+                         'tim has eaten 7 bags of ham today')
+        s = SafeTemplate('tim has eaten $count bags of ham today')
+        self.assertEqual(s % dict(count=7),
+                         'tim has eaten 7 bags of ham today')
+        s = SafeTemplate('tim has eaten ${count} bags of ham today')
+        self.assertEqual(s % dict(count=7),
+                         'tim has eaten 7 bags of ham today')
+
+    def test_SafeTemplate(self):
+        eq = self.assertEqual
+        s = SafeTemplate('$who likes ${what} for ${meal}')
+        eq(s % dict(who='tim'),
+           'tim likes ${what} for ${meal}')
+        eq(s % dict(what='ham'),
+           '$who likes ham for ${meal}')
+        eq(s % dict(what='ham', meal='dinner'),
+           '$who likes ham for dinner')
+        eq(s % dict(who='tim', what='ham'),
+           'tim likes ham for ${meal}')
+        eq(s % dict(who='tim', what='ham', meal='dinner'),
+           'tim likes ham for dinner')
+
+    def test_invalid_placeholders(self):
+        raises = self.assertRaises
+        s = Template('$who likes $')
+        raises(ValueError, lambda s, d: s % d, s, dict(who='tim'))
+        s = Template('$who likes ${what)')
+        raises(ValueError, lambda s, d: s % d, s, dict(who='tim'))
+        s = Template('$who likes $100')
+        raises(ValueError, lambda s, d: s % d, s, dict(who='tim'))
+
+
+def suite():
+    suite = unittest.TestSuite()
+    suite.addTest(unittest.makeSuite(TestTemplate))
+    return suite
+
+
+def test_main():
+    from test import test_support
+    test_support.run_suite(suite())
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    unittest.main()