diff --git a/plugins/Karma/plugin.py b/plugins/Karma/plugin.py
index 91cdad38c..92fdd7f6c 100644
--- a/plugins/Karma/plugin.py
+++ b/plugins/Karma/plugin.py
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ class SqliteKarmaDB(object):
 
     def load(self, channel, filename):
         filename = conf.supybot.directories.data.dirize(filename)
-        fd = file(filename)
+        fd = open(filename)
         reader = csv.reader(fd)
         db = self._getDb(channel)
         cursor = db.cursor()
diff --git a/plugins/Status/plugin.py b/plugins/Status/plugin.py
index b3966f35b..279b90545 100644
--- a/plugins/Status/plugin.py
+++ b/plugins/Status/plugin.py
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ class Status(callbacks.Plugin):
                     cmd = 'ps -o rss -p %s' % pid
                     try:
                         inst = subprocess.Popen(cmd.split(), close_fds=True,
-                                                stdin=file(os.devnull),
+                                                stdin=open(os.devnull),
                                                 stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
                                                 stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
                     except OSError:
diff --git a/plugins/Unix/plugin.py b/plugins/Unix/plugin.py
index 21e22b1ea..e8ccdf635 100644
--- a/plugins/Unix/plugin.py
+++ b/plugins/Unix/plugin.py
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ class Unix(callbacks.Plugin):
                 inst = subprocess.Popen(args, close_fds=True,
                                         stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
                                         stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
-                                        stdin=file(os.devnull))
+                                        stdin=open(os.devnull))
             except OSError, e:
                 irc.error(_('It seems the configured fortune command was '
                           'not available.'), Raise=True)
@@ -242,8 +242,8 @@ class Unix(callbacks.Plugin):
             try:
                 inst = subprocess.Popen([wtfCmd, something], close_fds=True,
                                         stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
-                                        stderr=file(os.devnull),
-                                        stdin=file(os.devnull))
+                                        stderr=open(os.devnull),
+                                        stdin=open(os.devnull))
             except OSError:
                 irc.error(_('It seems the configured wtf command was not '
                           'available.'), Raise=True)
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ class Unix(callbacks.Plugin):
             try:
                 inst = subprocess.Popen(args, stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
                                               stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
-                                              stdin=file(os.devnull))
+                                              stdin=open(os.devnull))
             except OSError, e:
                 irc.error('It seems the configured ping command was '
                           'not available (%s).' % e, Raise=True)
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ class Unix(callbacks.Plugin):
                 inst = subprocess.Popen(args, close_fds=True,
                                         stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
                                         stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
-                                        stdin=file(os.devnull))
+                                        stdin=open(os.devnull))
             except OSError, e:
                 irc.error('It seems the configured uptime command was '
                           'not available.', Raise=True)
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ class Unix(callbacks.Plugin):
                 inst = subprocess.Popen(args, close_fds=True,
                                         stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
                                         stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
-                                        stdin=file(os.devnull))
+                                        stdin=open(os.devnull))
             except OSError, e:
                 irc.error('It seems the configured uptime command was '
                           'not available.', Raise=True)
@@ -382,7 +382,7 @@ class Unix(callbacks.Plugin):
         try:
             inst = subprocess.Popen(args, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, 
                                           stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
-                                          stdin=file(os.devnull))
+                                          stdin=open(os.devnull))
         except OSError, e:
             irc.error('It seems the requested command was '
                       'not available (%s).' % e, Raise=True)
diff --git a/plugins/__init__.py b/plugins/__init__.py
index 5c86f5162..e15f28dce 100644
--- a/plugins/__init__.py
+++ b/plugins/__init__.py
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ class ChannelUserDB(ChannelUserDictionary):
         ChannelUserDictionary.__init__(self)
         self.filename = filename
         try:
-            fd = file(self.filename)
+            fd = open(self.filename)
         except EnvironmentError, e:
             log.warning('Couldn\'t open %s: %s.', self.filename, e)
             return
@@ -564,7 +564,7 @@ class PeriodicFileDownloader(object):
                 return
             confDir = conf.supybot.directories.data()
             newFilename = os.path.join(confDir, utils.file.mktemp())
-            outfd = file(newFilename, 'wb')
+            outfd = open(newFilename, 'wb')
             start = time.time()
             s = infd.read(4096)
             while s:
diff --git a/scripts/supybot b/scripts/supybot
index 595a600da..0d24388ff 100644
--- a/scripts/supybot
+++ b/scripts/supybot
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
         i18n.getLocaleFromRegistryFilename(registryFilename)
         try:
             # The registry *MUST* be opened before importing log or conf.
-            registry.open(registryFilename)
+            registry.open_registry(registryFilename)
             shutil.copy(registryFilename, registryFilename + '.bak')
         except registry.InvalidRegistryFile, e:
             s = '%s in %s.  Please fix this error and start supybot again.' % \
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
     pidFile = conf.supybot.pidFile()
     if pidFile:
         try:
-            fd = file(pidFile, 'w')
+            fd = open(pidFile, 'w')
             pid = os.getpid()
             fd.write('%s%s' % (pid, os.linesep))
             fd.close()
@@ -319,10 +319,10 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
                                     'userdata.conf')
     # Let's open this now since we've got our directories setup.
     if not os.path.exists(userdataFilename):
-        fd = file(userdataFilename, 'w')
+        fd = open(userdataFilename, 'w')
         fd.write('\n')
         fd.close()
-    registry.open(userdataFilename)
+    registry.open_registry(userdataFilename)
 
     import supybot.irclib as irclib
     import supybot.ircmsgs as ircmsgs
diff --git a/scripts/supybot-botchk b/scripts/supybot-botchk
index 468bead4f..4c72c55fb 100644
--- a/scripts/supybot-botchk
+++ b/scripts/supybot-botchk
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 VERBOSE = False
 
 def readPid(filename):
-    fd = file(filename)
+    fd = open(filename)
     try:
         return int(fd.read().strip())
     finally:
diff --git a/scripts/supybot-plugin-create b/scripts/supybot-plugin-create
index a515946f8..c695c0509 100644
--- a/scripts/supybot-plugin-create
+++ b/scripts/supybot-plugin-create
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ def main():
     os.mkdir(pathname)
 
     def writeFile(filename, s):
-        fd = file(os.path.join(pathname, filename), 'w')
+        fd = open(os.path.join(pathname, filename), 'w')
         try:
             fd.write(s)
         finally:
diff --git a/scripts/supybot-plugin-doc b/scripts/supybot-plugin-doc
index c5b2950db..88f9a1159 100644
--- a/scripts/supybot-plugin-doc
+++ b/scripts/supybot-plugin-doc
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ if not os.path.exists('doc-conf'):
 
 registryFilename = os.path.join('doc-conf', 'doc.conf')
 try:
-    fd = file(registryFilename, 'w')
+    fd = open(registryFilename, 'w')
     fd.write("""
 supybot.directories.data: doc-data
 supybot.directories.conf: doc-conf
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ except EnvironmentError, e:
     error('Unable to open %s for writing.' % registryFilename)
 
 import supybot.registry as registry
-registry.open(registryFilename)
+registry.open_registry(registryFilename)
 
 import supybot.log as log
 import supybot.conf as conf
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ def genDoc(m, options):
     path = os.path.join(options.outputDir, '%s.%s' % (Plugin.name,
                                                       options.format))
     try:
-        fd = file(path, 'w')
+        fd = open(path, 'w')
     except EnvironmentError, e:
         error('Unable to open %s for writing.' % path)
     f = getattr(Plugin, 'render%s' % options.format.upper(), None)
diff --git a/scripts/supybot-test b/scripts/supybot-test
index c0a500713..a950a07d9 100644
--- a/scripts/supybot-test
+++ b/scripts/supybot-test
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ if not os.path.exists('test-conf'):
     os.mkdir('test-conf')
 
 registryFilename = os.path.join('test-conf', 'test.conf')
-fd = file(registryFilename, 'w')
+fd = open(registryFilename, 'w')
 fd.write("""
 supybot.directories.data: test-data
 supybot.directories.conf: test-conf
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ supybot.databases.users.allowUnregistration: True
 fd.close()
 
 import supybot.registry as registry
-registry.open(registryFilename)
+registry.open_registry(registryFilename)
 
 import supybot.log as log
 import supybot.conf as conf
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
 
     if options.trace:
         traceFilename = conf.supybot.directories.log.dirize('trace.log')
-        fd = file(traceFilename, 'w')
+        fd = open(traceFilename, 'w')
         sys.settrace(utils.gen.callTracer(fd))
         atexit.register(fd.close)
         atexit.register(lambda : sys.settrace(None))
diff --git a/src/ircdb.py b/src/ircdb.py
index a2b1495bd..1331f17f1 100644
--- a/src/ircdb.py
+++ b/src/ircdb.py
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ import supybot.world as world
 import supybot.ircutils as ircutils
 import supybot.registry as registry
 import supybot.unpreserve as unpreserve
-from utils.iter import imap, ilen, ifilter
+from itertools import imap, ifilter
 
 def isCapability(capability):
     return len(capability.split(None, 1)) == 1
@@ -844,7 +844,7 @@ class IgnoresDB(object):
 
     def open(self, filename):
         self.filename = filename
-        fd = file(self.filename)
+        fd = open(self.filename)
         for line in utils.file.nonCommentNonEmptyLines(fd):
             try:
                 line = line.rstrip('\r\n')
diff --git a/src/registry.py b/src/registry.py
index c1f06b23b..03698b187 100644
--- a/src/registry.py
+++ b/src/registry.py
@@ -62,12 +62,12 @@ class NonExistentRegistryEntry(RegistryException):
 
 _cache = utils.InsensitivePreservingDict()
 _lastModified = 0
-def open(filename, clear=False):
+def open_registry(filename, clear=False):
     """Initializes the module by loading the registry file into memory."""
     global _lastModified
     if clear:
         _cache.clear()
-    _fd = file(filename)
+    _fd = open(filename)
     fd = utils.file.nonCommentNonEmptyLines(_fd)
     acc = ''
     slashEnd = re.compile(r'\\*$')
diff --git a/src/unpreserve.py b/src/unpreserve.py
index a275d94f0..66f9dca1f 100644
--- a/src/unpreserve.py
+++ b/src/unpreserve.py
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ class Reader(object):
         return s.lower()
 
     def readFile(self, filename):
-        self.read(file(filename))
+        self.read(open(filename))
 
     def read(self, fd):
         lineno = 0
diff --git a/src/utils/file.py b/src/utils/file.py
index 50ab27c97..6f77f54bb 100644
--- a/src/utils/file.py
+++ b/src/utils/file.py
@@ -39,9 +39,9 @@ from iter import ifilter
 import crypt
 
 def contents(filename):
-    return file(filename).read()
+    return open(filename).read()
 
-def open(filename, mode='wb', *args, **kwargs):
+def open_mkdir(filename, mode='wb', *args, **kwargs):
     """filename -> file object.
 
     Returns a file object for filename, creating as many directories as may be
@@ -53,15 +53,15 @@ def open(filename, mode='wb', *args, **kwargs):
         raise ValueError, 'utils.file.open expects to write.'
     (dirname, basename) = os.path.split(filename)
     os.makedirs(dirname)
-    return file(filename, mode, *args, **kwargs)
+    return open(filename, mode, *args, **kwargs)
 
 def copy(src, dst):
     """src, dst -> None
 
     Copies src to dst, using this module's 'open' function to open dst.
     """
-    srcfd = file(src)
-    dstfd = open(dst, 'wb')
+    srcfd = open(src)
+    dstfd = open_mkdir(dst, 'wb')
     shutil.copyfileobj(srcfd, dstfd)
 
 def writeLine(fd, line):
@@ -70,14 +70,14 @@ def writeLine(fd, line):
         fd.write('\n')
 
 def readLines(filename):
-    fd = file(filename)
+    fd = open(filename)
     try:
         return [line.rstrip('\r\n') for line in fd.readlines()]
     finally:
         fd.close()
 
 def touch(filename):
-    fd = file(filename, 'w')
+    fd = open(filename, 'w')
     fd.close()
 
 def mktemp(suffix=''):
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ class AtomicFile(file):
                 # rename a file (and shutil.move will use os.rename if
                 # possible), we first check if we have the write permission
                 # and only then do we write.
-                fd = file(self.filename, 'a')
+                fd = open(self.filename, 'a')
                 fd.close()
                 shutil.move(self.tempFilename, self.filename)
 
diff --git a/src/utils/transaction.py b/src/utils/transaction.py
index 5d4caeacf..82fea76bd 100644
--- a/src/utils/transaction.py
+++ b/src/utils/transaction.py
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ class TransactionMixin(python.Object):
             raise InvalidCwd(expected)
         
     def _journalCommands(self):
-        journal = file(self._journalName)
+        journal = open(self._journalName)
         for line in journal:
             line = line.rstrip('\n')
             (command, rest) = line.split(None, 1)
@@ -112,8 +112,8 @@ class Transaction(TransactionMixin):
             raise FailedAcquisition(self.txnDir, e)
         os.mkdir(self.dirize(self.ORIGINALS))
         os.mkdir(self.dirize(self.REPLACEMENTS))
-        self._journal = file(self._journalName, 'a')
-        cwd = file(self.dirize('cwd'), 'w')
+        self._journal = open(self._journalName, 'a')
+        cwd = open(self.dirize('cwd'), 'w')
         cwd.write(os.getcwd())
         cwd.close()
 
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ class Transaction(TransactionMixin):
         self._journalCommand('append', filename, length)
         replacement = self._replacement(filename)
         File.copy(filename, replacement)
-        return file(replacement, 'a')
+        return open(replacement, 'a')
 
     def commit(self, removeWhenComplete=True):
         self._journal.close()
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ class Rollback(TransactionMixin):
         shutil.copy(self._original(filename), filename)
 
     def rollbackAppend(self, filename, length):
-        fd = file(filename, 'a')
+        fd = open(filename, 'a')
         fd.truncate(int(length))
         fd.close()
         
diff --git a/test/test_registry.py b/test/test_registry.py
index e92f98ba7..6d18d2148 100644
--- a/test/test_registry.py
+++ b/test/test_registry.py
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ class ValuesTestCase(SupyTestCase):
         conf.supybot.reply.whenAddressedBy.chars.set('\\')
         filename = conf.supybot.directories.conf.dirize('backslashes.conf')
         registry.close(conf.supybot, filename)
-        registry.open(filename)
+        registry.open_registry(filename)
         self.assertEqual(conf.supybot.reply.whenAddressedBy.chars(), '\\')
 
 # vim:set shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4 expandtab textwidth=79: