old_contents: def join(*paths):
      """Like os.path.join but doesn't treat absolute RHS specially"""
      import os.path
      return os.path.normpath("/".join(paths))
  
  def relative(src, dest):
      """ Return a relative path from src to dest.
  
      >>> relative("/usr/bin", "/tmp/foo/bar")
      ../../tmp/foo/bar
  
      >>> relative("/usr/bin", "/usr/lib")
      ../lib
  
      >>> relative("/tmp", "/tmp/foo/bar")
      foo/bar
      """
      from os.path import sep, pardir, normpath, commonprefix
  
      destlist = normpath(dest).split(sep)
      srclist = normpath(src).split(sep)
  
      # Find common section of the path
      common = commonprefix([destlist, srclist])
      commonlen = len(common)
  
      # Climb back to the point where they differentiate
      relpath = [ pardir ] * (len(srclist) - commonlen)
      if commonlen < len(destlist):
          # Add remaining portion
          relpath += destlist[commonlen:]
  
      return sep.join(relpath)
  
  def format_display(path, metadata):
      """ Prepare a path for display to the user. """
      rel = relative(metadata.getVar("TOPDIR", 1), path)
      if len(rel) > len(path):
          return path
      else:
          return rel
  
new_contents: def join(*paths):
      """Like os.path.join but doesn't treat absolute RHS specially"""
      import os.path
      return os.path.normpath("/".join(paths))
  
  def relative(src, dest):
      """ Return a relative path from src to dest.
  
      >>> relative("/usr/bin", "/tmp/foo/bar")
      ../../tmp/foo/bar
  
      >>> relative("/usr/bin", "/usr/lib")
      ../lib
  
      >>> relative("/tmp", "/tmp/foo/bar")
      foo/bar
      """
      import os.path
  
      if hasattr(os.path, "relpath"):
          return os.path.relpath(dest, src)
      else:
          destlist = os.path.normpath(dest).split(os.path.sep)
          srclist = os.path.normpath(src).split(os.path.sep)
  
          # Find common section of the path
          common = os.path.commonprefix([destlist, srclist])
          commonlen = len(common)
  
          # Climb back to the point where they differentiate
          relpath = [ pardir ] * (len(srclist) - commonlen)
          if commonlen < len(destlist):
              # Add remaining portion
              relpath += destlist[commonlen:]
  
          return sep.join(relpath)
  
  def format_display(path, metadata):
      """ Prepare a path for display to the user. """
      rel = relative(metadata.getVar("TOPDIR", 1), path)
      if len(rel) > len(path):
          return path
      else:
          return rel
  
subject: leverage os.path.relpath if available