diff --git a/windows/pycompat.py b/windows/pycompat.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ce8b132
--- /dev/null
+++ b/windows/pycompat.py
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+import sys
+
+is_py3 = (sys.version_info.major >= 3)
+
+if is_py3:
+    def str_from_ascii_function(s):
+        return s.decode("ascii")
+
+    int_types = int
+    basestring = str
+    anybuff = (str, bytes)
+
+else: # py2.7
+    def str_from_ascii_function(s):
+        return s
+
+    int_types = (int, long)
+    basestring = basestring
+    anybuff = basestring