The problem is not "text mode by default". The problem is that the API offers a text mode at all. Opening a file should return an object that gives you bytes,

The problem is not "text mode by default". The problem is that the API offers a text mode at all. Opening a file should return an object that gives you bytes, and that's it. This "mode" thing is idiotic, and leak a low level API that makes no sense in a high level language with a strong abstraction for text like Python. Text should decoded from a wrapping object. See my ohter comments.