diff --git a/applications/admin/private/hosts.deny b/applications/admin/private/hosts.deny
index 3e4e651c..e69de29b 100644
--- a/applications/admin/private/hosts.deny
+++ b/applications/admin/private/hosts.deny
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-127.0.0.1 2 1464635785
diff --git a/gluon/_compat.py b/gluon/_compat.py
index aee1f809..982a78f9 100644
--- a/gluon/_compat.py
+++ b/gluon/_compat.py
@@ -10,6 +10,13 @@ if PY2:
     import cPickle as pickle
     from cStringIO import StringIO
     import copy_reg as copyreg
+    from HTMLParser import HTMLParser
+    import urlparse
+    from htmlentitydefs import entitydefs, name2codepoint
+    import __builtin__ as builtin
+    import thread
+    import Cookie
+    import urllib2
     reduce = reduce
     hashlib_md5 = hashlib.md5
     iterkeys = lambda d: d.iterkeys()
@@ -20,6 +27,10 @@ if PY2:
     text_type = unicode
     basestring = basestring
     xrange = xrange
+    long = long
+    unichr = unichr
+    unicodeT = unicode
+    from string import maketrans
 
     def implements_iterator(cls):
         cls.next = cls.__next__
@@ -49,6 +60,13 @@ else:
     from io import StringIO
     import copyreg
     from functools import reduce
+    from html.parser import HTMLParser
+    from http import cookies as Cookie
+    from urllib import parse as urlparse
+    from urllib import request as urllib2
+    from html.entities import entitydefs, name2codepoint
+    import builtins as builtin
+    import _thread as thread
     hashlib_md5 = lambda s: hashlib.md5(bytes(s, 'utf8'))
     iterkeys = lambda d: iter(d.keys())
     itervalues = lambda d: iter(d.values())
@@ -58,6 +76,10 @@ else:
     text_type = str
     basestring = str
     xrange = range
+    long = int
+    unichr = chr
+    unicodeT = str
+    maketrans = str.maketrans
 
     implements_iterator = _identity
     implements_bool = _identity
diff --git a/gluon/cache.py b/gluon/cache.py
index 72bfa422..4990362e 100644
--- a/gluon/cache.py
+++ b/gluon/cache.py
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ caching will be provided by the GAE memcache
 (see gluon.contrib.gae_memcache)
 """
 import time
-import thread
 import os
 import gc
 import sys
@@ -41,10 +40,7 @@ try:
 except ImportError:
     have_settings = False
 
-try:
-    import cPickle as pickle
-except:
-    import pickle
+from gluon._compat import pickle, thread
 
 try:
     import psutil
diff --git a/gluon/cfs.py b/gluon/cfs.py
index a63202f9..b8bca354 100644
--- a/gluon/cfs.py
+++ b/gluon/cfs.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ Note:
 """
 
 from os import stat
-import thread
+from ._compat import thread
 from gluon.fileutils import read_file
 
 cfs = {}  # for speed-up
diff --git a/gluon/compileapp.py b/gluon/compileapp.py
index 6b53ee34..caef15ee 100644
--- a/gluon/compileapp.py
+++ b/gluon/compileapp.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import fnmatch
 import os
 import copy
 import random
-import __builtin__
+from gluon._compat import builtin
 from gluon.storage import Storage, List
 from gluon.template import parse_template
 from gluon.restricted import restricted, compile2
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ import types
 from functools import reduce
 logger = logging.getLogger("web2py")
 from gluon import rewrite
-from custom_import import custom_import_install
+from gluon.custom_import import custom_import_install
 
 try:
     import py_compile
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ class mybuiltin(object):
     #__builtins__
     def __getitem__(self, key):
         try:
-            return getattr(__builtin__, key)
+            return getattr(builtin, key)
         except AttributeError:
             raise KeyError(key)
 
@@ -431,7 +431,7 @@ def build_environment(request, response, session, store_current=True):
     elif is_pypy:  # apply the same hack to pypy too
         __builtins__ = mybuiltin()
     else:
-        __builtins__['__import__'] = __builtin__.__import__  # WHY?
+        __builtins__['__import__'] = builtin.__import__  # WHY?
     environment['request'] = request
     environment['response'] = response
     environment['session'] = session
diff --git a/gluon/contrib/gateways/fcgi.py b/gluon/contrib/gateways/fcgi.py
index 69609696..9cd6fbe6 100644
--- a/gluon/contrib/gateways/fcgi.py
+++ b/gluon/contrib/gateways/fcgi.py
@@ -436,13 +436,13 @@ def encode_pair(name, value):
     if nameLength < 128:
         s = chr(nameLength)
     else:
-        s = struct.pack('!L', nameLength | 0x80000000L)
+        s = struct.pack('!L', nameLength | 0x80000000)
 
     valueLength = len(value)
     if valueLength < 128:
         s += chr(valueLength)
     else:
-        s += struct.pack('!L', valueLength | 0x80000000L)
+        s += struct.pack('!L', valueLength | 0x80000000)
 
     return s + name + value
 
@@ -592,7 +592,7 @@ class Request(object):
         self._flush()
         self._end(appStatus, protocolStatus)
 
-    def _end(self, appStatus=0L, protocolStatus=FCGI_REQUEST_COMPLETE):
+    def _end(self, appStatus=0, protocolStatus=FCGI_REQUEST_COMPLETE):
         self._conn.end_request(self, appStatus, protocolStatus)
 
     def _flush(self):
@@ -615,7 +615,7 @@ class CGIRequest(Request):
         self.stderr = sys.stderr
         self.data = StringIO.StringIO()
 
-    def _end(self, appStatus=0L, protocolStatus=FCGI_REQUEST_COMPLETE):
+    def _end(self, appStatus=0, protocolStatus=FCGI_REQUEST_COMPLETE):
         sys.exit(appStatus)
 
     def _flush(self):
@@ -714,7 +714,7 @@ class Connection(object):
         """
         rec.write(self._sock)
 
-    def end_request(self, req, appStatus=0L,
+    def end_request(self, req, appStatus=0,
                     protocolStatus=FCGI_REQUEST_COMPLETE, remove=True):
         """
         End a Request.
@@ -763,7 +763,7 @@ class Connection(object):
 
         if not self._multiplexed and self._requests:
             # Can't multiplex requests.
-            self.end_request(req, 0L, FCGI_CANT_MPX_CONN, remove=False)
+            self.end_request(req, 0, FCGI_CANT_MPX_CONN, remove=False)
         else:
             self._requests[inrec.requestId] = req
 
@@ -854,7 +854,7 @@ class MultiplexedConnection(Connection):
         finally:
             self._lock.release()
 
-    def end_request(self, req, appStatus=0L,
+    def end_request(self, req, appStatus=0,
                     protocolStatus=FCGI_REQUEST_COMPLETE, remove=True):
         self._lock.acquire()
         try:
diff --git a/gluon/contrib/ipaddr.py b/gluon/contrib/ipaddr.py
index 0c851432..cb37ecc2 100644
--- a/gluon/contrib/ipaddr.py
+++ b/gluon/contrib/ipaddr.py
@@ -1447,7 +1447,7 @@ class _BaseV6(object):
 
         try:
             # Now, parse the hextets into a 128-bit integer.
-            ip_int = 0L
+            ip_int = 0
             for i in xrange(parts_hi):
                 ip_int <<= 16
                 ip_int |= self._parse_hextet(parts[i])
diff --git a/gluon/contrib/shell.py b/gluon/contrib/shell.py
index c843c0a5..b1c83942 100755
--- a/gluon/contrib/shell.py
+++ b/gluon/contrib/shell.py
@@ -52,8 +52,7 @@ _HISTORY_KIND = '_Shell_History'
 # Types that can't be pickled.
 UNPICKLABLE_TYPES = [
     types.ModuleType,
-    types.TypeType,
-    types.ClassType,
+    type,
     types.FunctionType,
 ]
 
diff --git a/gluon/custom_import.py b/gluon/custom_import.py
index 93e46dd3..9dfb937c 100644
--- a/gluon/custom_import.py
+++ b/gluon/custom_import.py
@@ -8,22 +8,22 @@
 Support for smart import syntax for web2py applications
 -------------------------------------------------------
 """
-import __builtin__
+from gluon._compat import builtin
 import os
 import sys
 import threading
 from gluon import current
 
-NATIVE_IMPORTER = __builtin__.__import__
+NATIVE_IMPORTER = builtin.__import__
 INVALID_MODULES = set(('', 'gluon', 'applications', 'custom_import'))
 
 # backward compatibility API
 
 
 def custom_import_install():
-    if __builtin__.__import__ == NATIVE_IMPORTER:
+    if builtin.__import__ == NATIVE_IMPORTER:
         INVALID_MODULES.update(sys.modules.keys())
-        __builtin__.__import__ = custom_importer
+        builtin.__import__ = custom_importer
 
 
 def track_changes(track=True):
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ def custom_importer(name, globals=None, locals=None, fromlist=None, level=-1):
             try:
                 return NATIVE_IMPORTER(name, globals, locals, fromlist, level)
             except ImportError as e3:
-                raise ImportError, e1, import_tb  # there an import error in the module
+                raise ImportError(e1, import_tb)  # there an import error in the module
         except Exception as e2:
             raise  # there is an error in the module
         finally:
diff --git a/gluon/fileutils.py b/gluon/fileutils.py
index 0d23feab..84e65365 100644
--- a/gluon/fileutils.py
+++ b/gluon/fileutils.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ File operations
 ---------------
 """
 
-import storage
+from gluon import storage
 import os
 import re
 import tarfile
@@ -18,9 +18,9 @@ import glob
 import time
 import datetime
 import logging
-from http import HTTP
+from gluon.http import HTTP
 from gzip import open as gzopen
-from recfile import generate
+from gluon.recfile import generate
 
 __all__ = [
     'parse_version',
@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ def make_fake_file_like_object():
     return LogFile()
 
 
-from settings import global_settings  # we need to import settings here because
+from gluon.settings import global_settings  # we need to import settings here because
                                       # settings imports fileutils too
 
 
diff --git a/gluon/globals.py b/gluon/globals.py
index 88a98b8d..cb27b37a 100644
--- a/gluon/globals.py
+++ b/gluon/globals.py
@@ -13,10 +13,9 @@ Contains the classes for the global used variables:
 - Session
 
 """
-
+from gluon._compat import pickle, StringIO, copyreg, Cookie, urlparse, PY2
 from gluon.storage import Storage, List
 from gluon.streamer import streamer, stream_file_or_304_or_206, DEFAULT_CHUNK_SIZE
-from gluon.xmlrpc import handler
 from gluon.contenttype import contenttype
 from gluon.html import xmlescape, TABLE, TR, PRE, URL
 from gluon.http import HTTP, redirect
@@ -29,24 +28,16 @@ from gluon import recfile
 from gluon.cache import CacheInRam
 from gluon.fileutils import copystream
 import hashlib
-import portalocker
-try:
-    import cPickle as pickle
-except:
-    import pickle
+from gluon import portalocker
 from pickle import Pickler, MARK, DICT, EMPTY_DICT
-from types import DictionaryType
-import cStringIO
+#from types import DictionaryType
 import datetime
 import re
-import copy_reg
-import Cookie
 import os
 import sys
 import traceback
 import threading
 import cgi
-import urlparse
 import copy
 import tempfile
 import json
@@ -96,12 +87,14 @@ class SortingPickler(Pickler):
         self.memoize(obj)
         self._batch_setitems([(key, obj[key]) for key in sorted(obj)])
 
-SortingPickler.dispatch = copy.copy(Pickler.dispatch)
-SortingPickler.dispatch[DictionaryType] = SortingPickler.save_dict
+if PY2:
+#FIXME PY3
+    SortingPickler.dispatch = copy.copy(Pickler.dispatch)
+    SortingPickler.dispatch[dict] = SortingPickler.save_dict
 
 
 def sorting_dumps(obj, protocol=None):
-    file = cStringIO.StringIO()
+    file = StringIO()
     SortingPickler(file, protocol).dump(obj)
     return file.getvalue()
 # END #####################################################################
@@ -115,7 +108,7 @@ def copystream_progress(request, chunk_size=10 ** 5):
     """
     env = request.env
     if not env.get('CONTENT_LENGTH', None):
-        return cStringIO.StringIO()
+        return StringIO()
     source = env['wsgi.input']
     try:
         size = int(env['CONTENT_LENGTH'])
@@ -399,7 +392,7 @@ class Response(Storage):
         self.status = 200
         self.headers = dict()
         self.headers['X-Powered-By'] = 'web2py'
-        self.body = cStringIO.StringIO()
+        self.body = StringIO()
         self.session_id = None
         self.cookies = Cookie.SimpleCookie()
         self.postprocessing = []
@@ -441,9 +434,9 @@ class Response(Storage):
         self._vars.update(b)
         self._view_environment.update(self._vars)
         if view:
-            import cStringIO
+            from .compat import StringIO
             (obody, oview) = (self.body, self.view)
-            (self.body, self.view) = (cStringIO.StringIO(), view)
+            (self.body, self.view) = (StringIO(), view)
             run_view_in(self._view_environment)
             page = self.body.getvalue()
             self.body.close()
@@ -655,6 +648,7 @@ class Response(Storage):
         return json(data, default=default or custom_json)
 
     def xmlrpc(self, request, methods):
+        from gluon.xmlrpc import handler
         """
         assuming::
 
@@ -671,7 +665,7 @@ class Response(Storage):
             import xmlrpclib
             connection = xmlrpclib.ServerProxy(
                 'http://hostname/app/contr/func')
-            print connection.add(3, 4)
+            print(connection.add(3, 4))
 
         """
 
@@ -1234,4 +1228,4 @@ class Session(Storage):
 def pickle_session(s):
     return Session, (dict(s),)
 
-copy_reg.pickle(Session, pickle_session)
+copyreg.pickle(Session, pickle_session)
diff --git a/gluon/html.py b/gluon/html.py
index 6a3608bd..31a1b505 100644
--- a/gluon/html.py
+++ b/gluon/html.py
@@ -18,20 +18,11 @@ import copy
 import types
 import urllib
 import base64
-import sanitizer
+from gluon import sanitizer, decoder
 import itertools
-import decoder
-import copy_reg
-from functools import reduce
-try:
-    import cPickle as pickle
-except:
-    import pickle
+from gluon._compat import reduce, pickle, copyreg, HTMLParser, name2codepoint, iteritems, unichr, unicodeT
 import marshal
 
-from HTMLParser import HTMLParser
-from htmlentitydefs import name2codepoint
-
 from gluon.storage import Storage
 from gluon.utils import web2py_uuid, simple_hash, compare
 from gluon.highlight import highlight
@@ -42,7 +33,7 @@ regex_crlf = re.compile('\r|\n')
 join = ''.join
 
 # name2codepoint is incomplete respect to xhtml (and xml): 'apos' is missing.
-entitydefs = dict(map(lambda k_v: (k_v[0], unichr(k_v[1]).encode('utf-8')), name2codepoint.iteritems()))
+entitydefs = dict(map(lambda k_v: (k_v[0], unichr(k_v[1]).encode('utf-8')), iteritems(name2codepoint)))
 entitydefs.setdefault('apos', u"'".encode('utf-8'))
 
 
@@ -132,9 +123,9 @@ def xmlescape(data, quote=True):
         return data.xml()
 
     # otherwise, make it a string
-    if not isinstance(data, (str, unicode)):
+    if not isinstance(data, (str, unicodeT)):
         data = str(data)
-    elif isinstance(data, unicode):
+    elif isinstance(data, unicodeT):
         data = data.encode('utf8', 'xmlcharrefreplace')
 
     # ... and do the escaping
@@ -608,7 +599,7 @@ class XML(XmlComponent):
 
         if sanitize:
             text = sanitizer.sanitize(text, permitted_tags, allowed_attributes)
-        if isinstance(text, unicode):
+        if isinstance(text, unicodeT):
             text = text.encode('utf8', 'xmlcharrefreplace')
         elif not isinstance(text, str):
             text = str(text)
@@ -675,7 +666,7 @@ def XML_unpickle(data):
 
 def XML_pickle(data):
     return XML_unpickle, (marshal.dumps(str(data)),)
-copy_reg.pickle(XML, XML_pickle, XML_unpickle)
+copyreg.pickle(XML, XML_pickle, XML_unpickle)
 
 
 class DIV(XmlComponent):
@@ -799,7 +790,7 @@ class DIV(XmlComponent):
             value: the new value
         """
         self._setnode(value)
-        if isinstance(i, (str, unicode)):
+        if isinstance(i, (str, unicodeT)):
             self.attributes[i] = value
         else:
             self.components[i] = value
@@ -1264,7 +1255,7 @@ class __tag_div__(DIV):
         DIV.__init__(self, *a, **b)
         self.tag = name
 
-copy_reg.pickle(__tag_div__, TAG_pickler, TAG_unpickler)
+copyreg.pickle(__tag_div__, TAG_pickler, TAG_unpickler)
 
 
 class __TAG__(XmlComponent):
@@ -1285,7 +1276,7 @@ class __TAG__(XmlComponent):
     def __getattr__(self, name):
         if name[-1:] == '_':
             name = name[:-1] + '/'
-        if isinstance(name, unicode):
+        if isinstance(name, unicodeT):
             name = name.encode('utf-8')
         return lambda *a, **b: __tag_div__(name, *a, **b)
 
@@ -2442,7 +2433,7 @@ class BEAUTIFY(DIV):
                 try:
                     keys = (sorter and sorter(c)) or c
                     for key in keys:
-                        if isinstance(key, (str, unicode)) and keyfilter:
+                        if isinstance(key, (str, unicodeT)) and keyfilter:
                             filtered_key = keyfilter(key)
                         else:
                             filtered_key = str(key)
@@ -2462,7 +2453,7 @@ class BEAUTIFY(DIV):
                     pass
             if isinstance(c, str):
                 components.append(str(c))
-            elif isinstance(c, unicode):
+            elif isinstance(c, unicodeT):
                 components.append(c.encode('utf8'))
             elif isinstance(c, (list, tuple)):
                 items = [TR(TD(BEAUTIFY(item, **attributes)))
@@ -2691,7 +2682,7 @@ class web2pyHTMLParser(HTMLParser):
             self.last = tag.tag[:-1]
 
     def handle_data(self, data):
-        if not isinstance(data, unicode):
+        if not isinstance(data, unicodeT):
             try:
                 data = data.decode('utf8')
             except:
diff --git a/gluon/languages.py b/gluon/languages.py
index 4be71c0d..6e434c83 100644
--- a/gluon/languages.py
+++ b/gluon/languages.py
@@ -18,20 +18,17 @@ import pkgutil
 import logging
 from cgi import escape
 from threading import RLock
-
-try:
-    import copyreg as copy_reg # python 3
-except ImportError:
-    import copy_reg # python 2
+from gluon._compat import copyreg, PY2, maketrans
 
 from gluon.portalocker import read_locked, LockedFile
-from utf8 import Utf8
+from gluon.utf8 import Utf8
 
 from gluon.fileutils import listdir
 from gluon.cfs import getcfs
 from gluon.html import XML, xmlescape
-from gluon.contrib.markmin.markmin2html import render, markmin_escape
-from string import maketrans
+if PY2:
+    # FIXME PY3
+    from gluon.contrib.markmin.markmin2html import render, markmin_escape
 
 __all__ = ['translator', 'findT', 'update_all_languages']
 
@@ -53,7 +50,10 @@ DEFAULT_GET_PLURAL_ID = lambda n: 0
 # word is unchangeable
 DEFAULT_CONSTRUCT_PLURAL_FORM = lambda word, plural_id: word
 
-NUMBERS = (int, long, float)
+if PY2:
+    NUMBERS = (int, long, float)
+else:
+    NUMBERS = (int, float)
 
 # pattern to find T(blah blah blah) expressions
 PY_STRING_LITERAL_RE = r'(?<=[^\w]T\()(?P<name>'\
@@ -446,7 +446,7 @@ class lazyT(object):
 def pickle_lazyT(c):
     return str, (c.xml(),)
 
-copy_reg.pickle(lazyT, pickle_lazyT)
+copyreg.pickle(lazyT, pickle_lazyT)
 
 
 class translator(object):
diff --git a/gluon/main.py b/gluon/main.py
index 0bf22a3d..d7a977c9 100644
--- a/gluon/main.py
+++ b/gluon/main.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ from __future__ import print_function
 
 if False: import import_all # DO NOT REMOVE PART OF FREEZE PROCESS
 import gc
-import Cookie
+
 import os
 import re
 import copy
@@ -23,11 +23,10 @@ import datetime
 import signal
 import socket
 import random
-import urllib2
 import string
 
-
-from thread import allocate_lock
+from gluon._compat import Cookie, urllib2
+#from thread import allocate_lock
 
 from gluon.fileutils import abspath, write_file
 from gluon.settings import global_settings
@@ -710,9 +709,9 @@ class HttpServer(object):
             # if interfaces is specified, it must be tested for rocket parameter correctness
             # not necessarily completely tested (e.g. content of tuples or ip-format)
             import types
-            if isinstance(interfaces, types.ListType):
+            if isinstance(interfaces, list):
                 for i in interfaces:
-                    if not isinstance(i, types.TupleType):
+                    if not isinstance(i, tuple):
                         raise "Wrong format for rocket interfaces parameter - see http://packages.python.org/rocket/"
             else:
                 raise "Wrong format for rocket interfaces parameter - see http://packages.python.org/rocket/"
diff --git a/gluon/restricted.py b/gluon/restricted.py
index e0d5d3a9..2ce87062 100644
--- a/gluon/restricted.py
+++ b/gluon/restricted.py
@@ -10,10 +10,7 @@ Restricted environment to execute application's code
 """
 
 import sys
-try:
-    import cPickle as pickle
-except:
-    import pickle
+from gluon._compat import pickle
 import traceback
 import types
 import os
@@ -224,7 +221,7 @@ def restricted(code, environment=None, layer='Unknown'):
             ccode = code
         else:
             ccode = compile2(code, layer)
-        exec ccode in environment
+        exec (ccode) in environment
     except HTTP:
         raise
     except RestrictedError:
@@ -252,7 +249,7 @@ def snapshot(info=None, context=5, code=None, environment=None):
     # if no exception info given, get current:
     etype, evalue, etb = info or sys.exc_info()
 
-    if isinstance(etype, types.ClassType):
+    if isinstance(etype, type):
         etype = etype.__name__
 
     # create a snapshot dict with some basic information
diff --git a/gluon/sanitizer.py b/gluon/sanitizer.py
index c0e6f38f..147378bf 100644
--- a/gluon/sanitizer.py
+++ b/gluon/sanitizer.py
@@ -10,11 +10,9 @@ Cross-site scripting (XSS) defense
 -----------------------------------
 """
 
-from HTMLParser import HTMLParser
+from ._compat import HTMLParser, urlparse, entitydefs
 from cgi import escape
-from urlparse import urlparse
 from formatter import AbstractFormatter
-from htmlentitydefs import entitydefs
 from xml.sax.saxutils import quoteattr
 
 __all__ = ['sanitize']
diff --git a/gluon/serializers.py b/gluon/serializers.py
index a6781958..9cd304ff 100644
--- a/gluon/serializers.py
+++ b/gluon/serializers.py
@@ -120,8 +120,9 @@ def json(value, default=custom_json):
     value = json_parser.dumps(value, default=default)
     # replace JavaScript incompatible spacing
     # http://timelessrepo.com/json-isnt-a-javascript-subset
-    return value.replace(ur'\u2028', '\\u2028').replace(ur'\2029', '\\u2029')
-
+    # PY3 FIXME
+    # return value.replace(ur'\u2028', '\\u2028').replace(ur'\2029', '\\u2029')
+    return value
 
 def csv(value):
     return ''
diff --git a/gluon/shell.py b/gluon/shell.py
index ae30a4f1..a933fe74 100644
--- a/gluon/shell.py
+++ b/gluon/shell.py
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ def exec_environment(
     if pyfile:
         pycfile = pyfile + 'c'
         if os.path.isfile(pycfile):
-            exec read_pyc(pycfile) in env
+            exec (read_pyc(pycfile)) in env
         else:
             execfile(pyfile, env)
     return Storage(env)
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ def run(
                                  "controllers_%s_%s.pyc" % (c, f))
         if ((cronjob and os.path.isfile(pycfile))
             or not os.path.isfile(pyfile)):
-            exec read_pyc(pycfile) in _env
+            exec (read_pyc(pycfile)) in _env
         elif os.path.isfile(pyfile):
             execfile(pyfile, _env)
         else:
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ def run(
             ccode = None
             if startfile.endswith('.pyc'):
                 ccode = read_pyc(startfile)
-                exec ccode in _env
+                exec (ccode) in _env
             else:
                 execfile(startfile, _env)
 
@@ -397,8 +397,7 @@ def test(testpath, import_models=True, verbose=False):
         def doctest_object(name, obj):
             """doctest obj and enclosed methods and classes."""
 
-            if type(obj) in (types.FunctionType, types.TypeType,
-                             types.ClassType, types.MethodType,
+            if type(obj) in (types.FunctionType, type, types.MethodType,
                              types.UnboundMethodType):
 
                 # Reload environment before each test.
@@ -409,7 +408,7 @@ def test(testpath, import_models=True, verbose=False):
                     obj, globs=globs,
                     name='%s: %s' % (os.path.basename(testfile),
                                      name), verbose=verbose)
-                if type(obj) in (types.TypeType, types.ClassType):
+                if type(obj) in (type):
                     for attr_name in dir(obj):
 
                         # Execute . operator so decorators are executed.
diff --git a/gluon/sqlhtml.py b/gluon/sqlhtml.py
index 2d983f5f..e8404dda 100644
--- a/gluon/sqlhtml.py
+++ b/gluon/sqlhtml.py
@@ -17,9 +17,9 @@ Holds:
 import datetime
 import urllib
 import re
-import cStringIO
 
 import os
+from gluon._compat import StringIO, unichr
 from gluon.http import HTTP, redirect
 from gluon.html import XmlComponent, truncate_string
 from gluon.html import XML, SPAN, TAG, A, DIV, CAT, UL, LI, TEXTAREA, BR, IMG
@@ -1654,7 +1654,7 @@ class SQLFORM(FORM):
                 elif isinstance(f, (str, unicode)):
                     # do not know why this happens, it should not
                     (source_file, original_filename) = \
-                        (cStringIO.StringIO(f), 'file.txt')
+                        (StringIO(f), 'file.txt')
                 else:
                     # this should never happen, why does it happen?
                     # print 'f=', repr(f)
@@ -3472,8 +3472,8 @@ class ExporterTSV(ExportClass):
         ExportClass.__init__(self, rows)
 
     def export(self):
-        out = cStringIO.StringIO()
-        final = cStringIO.StringIO()
+        out = StringIO()
+        final = StringIO()
         import csv
         writer = csv.writer(out, delimiter='\t')
         if self.rows:
@@ -3511,7 +3511,7 @@ class ExporterCSV(ExportClass):
 
     def export(self):  # export CSV with rows.represent
         if self.rows:
-            s = cStringIO.StringIO()
+            s = StringIO()
             self.rows.export_to_csv_file(s, represent=True)
             return s.getvalue()
         else:
diff --git a/gluon/storage.py b/gluon/storage.py
index 1bb507f5..80cbffd1 100644
--- a/gluon/storage.py
+++ b/gluon/storage.py
@@ -12,11 +12,7 @@ Provides:
 - Storage; like dictionary allowing also for `obj.foo` for `obj['foo']`
 """
 
-try:
-    import cPickle as pickle
-except:
-    import pickle
-import copy_reg
+from gluon._compat import copyreg, pickle, PY2
 import gluon.portalocker as portalocker
 
 __all__ = ['List', 'Storage', 'Settings', 'Messages',
@@ -139,10 +135,11 @@ class Storage(dict):
 def pickle_storage(s):
     return Storage, (dict(s),)
 
-copy_reg.pickle(Storage, pickle_storage)
-
-PICKABLE = (str, int, long, float, bool, list, dict, tuple, set)
-
+copyreg.pickle(Storage, pickle_storage)
+if PY2:
+    PICKABLE = (str, int, long, float, bool, list, dict, tuple, set)
+else:
+    PICKABLE = (str, int, float, bool, list, dict, tuple, set)
 
 class StorageList(Storage):
     """
diff --git a/gluon/streamer.py b/gluon/streamer.py
index 50012ca9..1095b592 100644
--- a/gluon/streamer.py
+++ b/gluon/streamer.py
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ import stat
 import time
 import re
 import errno
-import rewrite
 from gluon.http import HTTP
 from gluon.contenttype import contenttype
 
diff --git a/gluon/tests/__init__.py b/gluon/tests/__init__.py
index cbeae68e..449cfa6f 100644
--- a/gluon/tests/__init__.py
+++ b/gluon/tests/__init__.py
@@ -1,28 +1,28 @@
 import sys
 
-from test_http import *
-from test_cache import *
-from test_contenttype import *
-from test_compileapp import *
-from test_fileutils import *
-from test_globals import *
-from test_html import *
-from test_is_url import *
-from test_languages import *
-from test_router import *
-from test_recfile import *
-from test_routes import *
-from test_storage import *
-from test_serializers import *
-from test_template import *
-from test_validators import *
-from test_utils import *
-from test_contribs import *
-from test_web import *
-from test_dal import *
-from test_tools import *
-from test_appadmin import *
-from test_scheduler import *
+from .test_http import *
+from .test_cache import *
+from .test_contenttype import *
+from .test_compileapp import *
+from .test_fileutils import *
+from .test_globals import *
+from .test_html import *
+from .test_is_url import *
+from .test_languages import *
+from .test_router import *
+from .test_recfile import *
+from .test_routes import *
+from .test_storage import *
+from .test_serializers import *
+from .test_template import *
+from .test_validators import *
+from .test_utils import *
+from .test_contribs import *
+from .test_web import *
+from .test_dal import *
+from .test_tools import *
+from .test_appadmin import *
+from .test_scheduler import *
 
 if sys.version[:3] == '2.7':
     from test_old_doctests import *
diff --git a/gluon/tests/test_serializers.py b/gluon/tests/test_serializers.py
index c3324238..2e543525 100644
--- a/gluon/tests/test_serializers.py
+++ b/gluon/tests/test_serializers.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ class TestSerializers(unittest.TestCase):
         json_web2pyfied = [json(obj) for obj in iso_objs]
         self.assertEqual(json_objs, json_web2pyfied)
         # int or long int()ified
-        self.assertEqual(json(1), json(1L))
+        # self.assertEqual(json(1), json(1))
         # decimal stringified
         obj = {'a': decimal.Decimal('4.312312312312')}
         self.assertEqual(json(obj), u'{"a": "4.312312312312"}')
diff --git a/gluon/tests/test_tools.py b/gluon/tests/test_tools.py
index 547a0c95..e5ce5ddc 100644
--- a/gluon/tests/test_tools.py
+++ b/gluon/tests/test_tools.py
@@ -869,7 +869,7 @@ class TestAuth(unittest.TestCase):
         # not deleted
         self.assertFalse(self.auth.del_membership('some_test_group'))
         self.assertEqual(set(self.db.auth_membership(membership_id).as_dict().items()),
-                         set({'group_id': 2L, 'user_id': 1L, 'id': 2L}.items()))  # is not deleted
+                         set({'group_id': 2, 'user_id': 1, 'id': 2}.items()))  # is not deleted
         # deleted
         bart_id = self.db(self.db.auth_user.username == 'bart').select(self.db.auth_user.id).first().id
         self.assertTrue(self.auth.del_membership('some_test_group', user_id=bart_id))
diff --git a/gluon/utf8.py b/gluon/utf8.py
index 24c90e31..ae592d88 100644
--- a/gluon/utf8.py
+++ b/gluon/utf8.py
@@ -11,12 +11,14 @@ Utilities and class for UTF8 strings managing
 ----------------------------------------------
 """
 from __future__ import print_function
-import __builtin__
+from gluon._compat import builtin as __builtin__
+
 __all__ = ['Utf8']
 
 repr_escape_tab = {}
-for i in range(1, 32):
-    repr_escape_tab[i] = ur'\x%02x' % i
+#FIXME PY3
+#for i in range(1, 32):
+#    repr_escape_tab[i] = ur'\x%02x' % i
 repr_escape_tab[7] = u'\\a'
 repr_escape_tab[8] = u'\\b'
 repr_escape_tab[9] = u'\\t'
diff --git a/gluon/utils.py b/gluon/utils.py
index 50fd214c..3682c714 100644
--- a/gluon/utils.py
+++ b/gluon/utils.py
@@ -23,17 +23,11 @@ import logging
 import socket
 import base64
 import zlib
+from gluon._compat import basestring, pickle, PY2, xrange, to_bytes
 
 _struct_2_long_long = struct.Struct('=QQ')
 
-python_version = sys.version_info[0]
-
-if python_version == 2:
-    import cPickle as pickle
-else:
-    import pickle
-
-import hashlib
+import hashlib, binascii
 from hashlib import md5, sha1, sha224, sha256, sha384, sha512
 
 try:
@@ -46,9 +40,9 @@ import hmac
 if hasattr(hashlib, "pbkdf2_hmac"):
     def pbkdf2_hex(data, salt, iterations=1000, keylen=24, hashfunc=None):
         hashfunc = hashfunc or sha1
-        return hashlib.pbkdf2_hmac(hashfunc().name,
-                           data, salt, iterations,
-                           keylen).encode("hex")
+        hmac = hashlib.pbkdf2_hmac(hashfunc().name, to_bytes(data), 
+                                   to_bytes(salt), iterations, keylen)
+        return binascii.hexlify(hmac)
     HAVE_PBKDF2 = True
 else:
     try:
@@ -85,7 +79,7 @@ def compare(a, b):
         return hmac.compare_digest(a, b)
     result = len(a) ^ len(b)
     for i in xrange(len(b)):
-		result |= ord(a[i%len(a)]) ^ ord(b[i])
+        result |= ord(a[i%len(a)]) ^ ord(b[i])
     return result == 0
 
 
@@ -227,7 +221,7 @@ def initialize_urandom():
             # try to add process-specific entropy
             frandom = open('/dev/urandom', 'wb')
             try:
-                if python_version == 2:
+                if PY2:
                     frandom.write(''.join(chr(t) for t in ctokens)) # python 2
                 else:
                     frandom.write(bytes([]).join(bytes([t]) for t in ctokens)) # python 3
@@ -242,7 +236,7 @@ def initialize_urandom():
             """Cryptographically secure session management is not possible on your system because
 your system does not provide a cryptographically secure entropy source.
 This is not specific to web2py; consider deploying on a different operating system.""")
-    if python_version == 2:
+    if PY2:
         packed = ''.join(chr(x) for x in ctokens) # python 2
     else:
         packed = bytes([]).join(bytes([x]) for x in ctokens) # python 3
diff --git a/gluon/validators.py b/gluon/validators.py
index 012f868d..e2ed96a8 100644
--- a/gluon/validators.py
+++ b/gluon/validators.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ import urllib
 import struct
 import decimal
 import unicodedata
-from cStringIO import StringIO
+from gluon._compat import StringIO, long, unicodeT
 from gluon.utils import simple_hash, web2py_uuid, DIGEST_ALG_BY_SIZE
 from pydal.objects import Field, FieldVirtual, FieldMethod
 from functools import reduce
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ except ImportError:
 def translate(text):
     if text is None:
         return None
-    elif isinstance(text, (str, unicode)) and have_current:
+    elif isinstance(text, (str, unicodeT)) and have_current:
         if hasattr(current, 'T'):
             return str(current.T(text))
     return str(text)
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ class IS_MATCH(Validator):
             if not expression.endswith('$'):
                 expression = '(%s)$' % expression
         if is_unicode:
-            if not isinstance(expression, unicode):
+            if not isinstance(expression, unicodeT):
                 expression = expression.decode('utf8')
             self.regex = re.compile(expression, re.UNICODE)
         else:
@@ -196,12 +196,12 @@ class IS_MATCH(Validator):
 
     def __call__(self, value):
         if self.is_unicode:
-            if not isinstance(value, unicode):
+            if not isinstance(value, unicodeT):
                 match = self.regex.search(str(value).decode('utf8'))
             else:
                 match = self.regex.search(value)
         else:
-            if not isinstance(value, unicode):
+            if not isinstance(value, unicodeT):
                 match = self.regex.search(str(value))
             else:
                 match = self.regex.search(value.encode('utf8'))
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ class IS_EXPR(Validator):
             return (value, self.expression(value))
         # for backward compatibility
         self.environment.update(value=value)
-        exec '__ret__=' + self.expression in self.environment
+        exec ('__ret__=' + self.expression) in self.environment
         if self.environment['__ret__']:
             return (value, None)
         return (value, translate(self.error_message))
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ class IS_LENGTH(Validator):
                 lvalue = len(value)
             if self.minsize <= lvalue <= self.maxsize:
                 return (value, None)
-        elif isinstance(value, unicode):
+        elif isinstance(value, unicodeT):
             if self.minsize <= len(value) <= self.maxsize:
                 return (value.encode('utf8'), None)
         elif isinstance(value, (tuple, list)):
@@ -717,7 +717,7 @@ class IS_NOT_IN_DB(Validator):
         self.record_id = id
 
     def __call__(self, value):
-        if isinstance(value, unicode):
+        if isinstance(value, unicodeT):
             value = value.encode('utf8')
         else:
             value = str(value)
@@ -987,7 +987,7 @@ class IS_DECIMAL_IN_RANGE(Validator):
 
 def is_empty(value, empty_regex=None):
     """test empty field"""
-    if isinstance(value, (str, unicode)):
+    if isinstance(value, (str, unicodeT)):
         value = value.strip()
         if empty_regex is not None and empty_regex.match(value):
             value = ''
@@ -2096,7 +2096,7 @@ class IS_URL(Validator):
         else:
             raise SyntaxError("invalid mode '%s' in IS_URL" % self.mode)
 
-        if not isinstance(value, unicode):
+        if not isinstance(value, unicodeT):
             return subMethod(value)
         else:
             try:
@@ -2896,13 +2896,13 @@ class CRYPT(object):
 
 #  entropy calculator for IS_STRONG
 #
-lowerset = frozenset(unicode('abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz'))
-upperset = frozenset(unicode('ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ'))
-numberset = frozenset(unicode('0123456789'))
-sym1set = frozenset(unicode('!@#$%^&*()'))
-sym2set = frozenset(unicode('~`-_=+[]{}\\|;:\'",.<>?/'))
+lowerset = frozenset(u'abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz')
+upperset = frozenset(u'ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ')
+numberset = frozenset(u'0123456789')
+sym1set = frozenset(u'!@#$%^&*()')
+sym2set = frozenset(u'~`-_=+[]{}\\|;:\'",.<>?/')
 otherset = frozenset(
-    unicode('0123456789abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz'))  # anything else
+    u'0123456789abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz')  # anything else
 
 
 def calc_entropy(string):
@@ -3350,8 +3350,8 @@ class IS_IPV4(Validator):
         '^(([1-9]?\d|1\d\d|2[0-4]\d|25[0-5])\.){3}([1-9]?\d|1\d\d|2[0-4]\d|25[0-5])$')
     numbers = (16777216, 65536, 256, 1)
     localhost = 2130706433
-    private = ((2886729728L, 2886795263L), (3232235520L, 3232301055L))
-    automatic = (2851995648L, 2852061183L)
+    private = ((2886729728, 2886795263), (3232235520, 3232301055))
+    automatic = (2851995648, 2852061183)
 
     def __init__(
         self,
diff --git a/gluon/widget.py b/gluon/widget.py
index 143dff36..6242c280 100644
--- a/gluon/widget.py
+++ b/gluon/widget.py
@@ -13,9 +13,8 @@ from __future__ import print_function
 
 import datetime
 import sys
-import cStringIO
+from gluon._compat import StringIO, thread
 import time
-import thread
 import threading
 import os
 import copy
@@ -23,14 +22,13 @@ import socket
 import signal
 import math
 import logging
-import newcron
 import getpass
-import gluon.main as main
+from gluon import main, newcron
 
-from gluon.fileutils import read_file, write_file, create_welcome_w2p
-from gluon.settings import global_settings
-from gluon.shell import run, test
-from gluon.utils import is_valid_ip_address, is_loopback_ip_address, getipaddrinfo
+from .fileutils import read_file, write_file, create_welcome_w2p
+from .settings import global_settings
+from .shell import run, test
+from .utils import is_valid_ip_address, is_loopback_ip_address, getipaddrinfo
 
 
 ProgramName = 'web2py Web Framework'