--- MPIWGWeb/Attic/MPIWGHelper.py	2009/11/06 15:37:42	1.1.2.9
+++ MPIWGWeb/Attic/MPIWGHelper.py	2010/02/10 18:25:44	1.1.2.10
@@ -84,27 +84,27 @@ def sortI(x,y):
         return cmp(x[1],y[1])
 
 
-def unicodify(str):
+def unicodify(s):
     """decode str (utf-8 or latin-1 representation) into unicode object"""
     #logging.error("unicodify: %s"%str)
-    if not str:
-        return ""
-    if type(str) is StringType:
+    if not s:
+        return u""
+    if isinstance(s, str):
         try:
-            return str.decode('utf-8')
+            return s.decode('utf-8')
         except:
-            return str.decode('latin-1')
+            return s.decode('latin-1')
     else:
-        return str
+        return s
 
-def utf8ify(str):
+def utf8ify(s):
     """encode unicode object or string into byte string in utf-8 representation"""
-    if not str:
+    if not s:
         return ""
-    if type(str) is StringType:
-        return str
+    if isinstance(s, str):
+        return s
     else:
-        return str.encode('utf-8')
+        return s.encode('utf-8')
 
 
 def shortenString(s, l, ellipsis='...'):