4 files changed, 27 insertions, 26 deletions
diff --git a/coverage/backward.py b/coverage/backward.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..506649d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/coverage/backward.py
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+"""Add things to old Pythons so I can pretend they are newer."""
+
+# pylint: disable-msg=W0622
+# (Redefining built-in blah)
+# The whole point of this file is to redefine built-ins, so shut up about it.
+
+
+# Python 2.3 doesn't have `set`
+try:
+    set = set       # new in 2.4
+except NameError:
+    # (Redefining built-in 'set')
+    from sets import Set as set
+
+
+# Python 2.3 doesn't have `sorted`.
+try:
+    sorted = sorted
+except NameError:
+    def sorted(iterable):
+        """A 2.3-compatible implementation of `sorted`."""
+        lst = list(iterable)
+        lst.sort()
+        return lst
diff --git a/coverage/data.py b/coverage/data.py
index a616f536..0fb12c6b 100644
--- a/coverage/data.py
+++ b/coverage/data.py
@@ -3,15 +3,7 @@
 import os
 import cPickle as pickle
 
-# Python 2.3 compatibility: it doesn't have `sorted`.
-try:
-    sorted
-except NameError:
-    def sorted(iterable):       # pylint: disable-msg=W0622
-        """A 2.3-compatible implementation of `sorted`."""
-        lst = list(iterable)
-        lst.sort()
-        return lst
+from coverage.backward import sorted    # pylint: disable-msg=W0622
 
 
 class CoverageData:
diff --git a/coverage/parser.py b/coverage/parser.py
index 73e0bd59..3f0011ee 100644
--- a/coverage/parser.py
+++ b/coverage/parser.py
@@ -4,15 +4,7 @@ import re, token, tokenize, types
 import cStringIO as StringIO
 
 from coverage.misc import nice_pair, CoverageException
-
-
-# Python version compatibility
-try:
-    set       # new in 2.4
-except NameError:
-    # pylint: disable-msg=W0622
-    # (Redefining built-in 'set')
-    from sets import Set as set
+from coverage.backward import set   # pylint: disable-msg=W0622
     
 
 class CodeParser:
diff --git a/test/coveragetest.py b/test/coveragetest.py
index 66bc8b62..baace807 100644
--- a/test/coveragetest.py
+++ b/test/coveragetest.py
@@ -3,15 +3,8 @@
 import imp, os, random, shutil, sys, tempfile, textwrap, unittest
 from cStringIO import StringIO
 
-# Python version compatibility
-try:
-    set       # new in 2.4
-except NameError:
-    # pylint: disable-msg=W0622
-    # (Redefining built-in 'set')
-    from sets import Set as set
-
 import coverage
+from coverage.backward import set   # pylint: disable-msg=W0622
 
 
 class Tee(object):