7.3.3 Buffer Objects   Python objects implemented in C can
export a group of functions called the ``buffer interface.''
These functions can be used by an object to expose its data in a
raw, byte-oriented format. Clients of the object can use the
buffer interface to access the object data directly, without
needing to copy it first.  Two examples of objects that support
the buffer interface are strings and arrays. The string object
exposes the character contents in the buffer interface's byte-
oriented form. An array can also expose its contents, but it
should be noted that array elements may be multi-byte values.
An example user of the buffer interface is the file object's
write() method. Any object that can export a series of bytes
through the buffer interface can be written to a file. There are
a number of format codes to PyArg_ParseTuple() that operate
against an object's buffer interface, returning data from the
target object.  More information on the buffer interface is
provided in the section ``Buffer Ob