You should learn how to sell Python to Perlites, Guido. How about:
records = string.splitfields(open('^!/@\+$').read(), '\0')
This has two advantages:
1) It is less verbose.
2) The file is closed right after splitfields returns.
Also, the filename is more appealing to Perl-programmers.
(Sorry, couldn't resist :-)
Siebren van der Zee, siebren@xs4all.nl
(BTW, does someone know how to emulate $[?, I mean, `$[', erh.. you know...)