diff --git a/pisi/file.py b/pisi/file.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6445ff72
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pisi/file.py
@@ -0,0 +1,135 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+#
+# Copyright (C) 2005, TUBITAK/UEKAE
+#
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under
+# the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free
+# Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option)
+# any later version.
+#
+# Please read the COPYING file.
+#
+# Author:  Eray Ozkural <eray@uludag.org.tr>
+
+"""
+generic file abstraction that allows us to use URIs for everything
+we support only the simple read case ATM
+we are just encapsulating a common pattern in our program, nothing big.
+like all pisi classes, it has been programmed in a non-restricting way
+"""
+
+import os.path
+import types
+
+import gettext
+__trans = gettext.translation('pisi', fallback=True)
+_ = __trans.ugettext
+
+import pisi
+from pisi.uri import URI
+from pisi.util import join_path as join
+from pisi.fetcher import fetch_url
+import pisi.context as ctx
+
+class Error(pisi.Error):
+    pass
+
+class File:
+    (read, write) = range(2) # modes
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def make_uri(uri):
+        "handle URI arg"
+        if type(uri) == types.StringType or type(uri) == types.UnicodeType:
+            uri = URI(uri)
+        elif type(uri) != URI:
+            raise Error(_("uri must have type either URI or string"))
+        return uri
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def download(self, uri, transfer_dir = "/tmp"):
+        if uri.is_remote_file():
+            ctx.ui.info(_("Fetching %s") % uri.get_uri())
+            localfile = join(transfer_dir, uri.filename())
+            fetch_url(uri, transfer_dir) # FIXME: localfile would look better for fetch iface?
+        else:
+            localfile = uri.get_uri() #TODO: use a special function here?
+
+    def __init__(self, uri, mode, transfer_dir = "/tmp"):
+        "it is pointless to open a file without a URI and a mode"
+        uri = make_uri(uri)
+        if mode==File.read or mode==File.write:
+            self.mode = mode
+        else:
+            raise Error(_("File mode must be either File.read or File.write"))
+        if uri.is_remote_file():
+            if self.mode == File.read:
+                ctx.ui.info(_("Fetching %s") % uri.get_uri())
+                localfile = join(transfer_dir, uri.filename())
+                fetch_url(uri, transfer_dir) # FIXME: localfile would look better for fetch iface?
+            else:
+                raise Error(_("Remote write not implemented"))
+        else:
+            localfile = uri.get_uri() #TODO: use a special function here?
+
+        if self.mode == File.read:
+            access = 'r'
+        else:
+            access = 'w'
+        self.__file__ = file(localfile, access)
+
+    def local_file(self):
+        "returns the underlying file object"
+        return self.__file__
+
+    def close(self, delete_transfer = False):
+        "this method must be called at the end of operation"
+        self.__file__.close()
+    
+    def flush(self):
+        self.__file__.flush()
+
+    def fileno(self):
+        return self.__file__.fileno()
+
+    def isatty(self):
+        return self.__file__.isatty()
+
+    def next(self):
+        return self.__file__.next()
+    
+    def read(self, size = None):
+        if size:
+            return self.__file__.read(size)
+        else:
+            return self.__file__.read()
+
+    def readline(self, size = None):
+        if size:
+            return self.__file__.readline(size)
+        else:
+            return self.__file__.readline()
+    
+    def readlines(self, size = None):
+        if size:
+            return self.__file__.readlines(size)
+        else:
+            return self.__file__.readlines()
+        
+    def xreadlines(self):
+        return self.__file__.xreadlines()
+    
+    def seek(self, offset, whence=0):
+        self.__file__.seek(offset, whence)
+    
+    def tell(self):
+        return self.__file__.tell()
+        
+    def truncate(self):
+        self.__file__.truncate()
+        
+    def write(self, str):
+        self.__file__.write(str)
+
+    def writelines(self, sequence):
+        self.__file__.writelines(sequence)
diff --git a/tests/filetests.py b/tests/filetests.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3ccde2bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/filetests.py
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+# Copyright (C) 2005, TUBITAK/UEKAE
+#
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under
+# the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free
+# Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option)
+# any later version.
+#
+# Please read the COPYING file.
+#
+
+import unittest
+import os
+
+from pisi.file import File
+
+import testcase
+
+class FileTestCase(testcase.TestCase):
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        testcase.TestCase.setUp(self, database = False)
+
+    def testLocalFile(self):
+        f = File("tests/popt/pspec.xml", File.read)
+        x = f.readlines()
+        self.assert_(len(x)>0)
+        
+    def testRemoteRead(self):
+        f = File("http://uludag.org.tr/haberler/rootfs0.2.html", File.read)
+        x = f.readlines()
+        self.assert_(len(x)>0)
+
+suite = unittest.makeSuite(FileTestCase)