diff --git a/pythonbrew/define.py b/pythonbrew/define.py
index 2a3ea61..7e01fcd 100644
--- a/pythonbrew/define.py
+++ b/pythonbrew/define.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ PATH_SCRIPTS_PYTHONBREW_COMMANDS = os.path.join(PATH_SCRIPTS_PYTHONBREW,"command
 PATH_SCRIPTS_PYTHONBREW_INSTALLER = os.path.join(PATH_SCRIPTS_PYTHONBREW,"installer")
 PATH_PATCHES = os.path.join(ROOT,"patches")
 PATH_PATCHES_MACOSX = os.path.join(PATH_PATCHES,"macosx")
+PATH_PATCHES_MACOSX_PYTHON26 = os.path.join(PATH_PATCHES_MACOSX,"python26")
 PATH_PATCHES_MACOSX_PYTHON25 = os.path.join(PATH_PATCHES_MACOSX,"python25")
 PATH_PATCHES_MACOSX_PYTHON24 = os.path.join(PATH_PATCHES_MACOSX,"python24")
 
diff --git a/pythonbrew/installer/pythoninstaller.py b/pythonbrew/installer/pythoninstaller.py
index 0edb764..48143ab 100644
--- a/pythonbrew/installer/pythoninstaller.py
+++ b/pythonbrew/installer/pythoninstaller.py
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ from pythonbrew.util import makedirs, symlink, Package, is_url, Link,\
     fileurl_to_path
 from pythonbrew.define import PATH_BUILD, PATH_DISTS, PATH_PYTHONS,\
     ROOT, PATH_LOG, DISTRIBUTE_SETUP_DLSITE,\
-    PATH_PATCHES_MACOSX_PYTHON25, PATH_PATCHES_MACOSX_PYTHON24
+    PATH_PATCHES_MACOSX_PYTHON25, PATH_PATCHES_MACOSX_PYTHON24,\
+    PATH_PATCHES_MACOSX_PYTHON26
 from pythonbrew.downloader import get_python_version_url, Downloader,\
     get_headerinfo_from_url
 from pythonbrew.log import logger
@@ -200,6 +201,7 @@ class PythonInstallerMacOSX(PythonInstaller):
         try:
             s = Subprocess(log=self.logfile, cwd=self.build_dir)
             patches = []
+            eds = {}
             if is_python24(version):
                 patch_dir = PATH_PATCHES_MACOSX_PYTHON24
                 patches = ['patch-configure', 'patch-Makefile.pre.in',
@@ -212,15 +214,38 @@ class PythonInstallerMacOSX(PythonInstaller):
                            'patch-gestaltmodule.c.diff']
             elif is_python25(version):
                 patch_dir = PATH_PATCHES_MACOSX_PYTHON25
-                patches = ['patch-Makefile.pre.in.diff', 'patch-Lib-cgi.py.diff',
-                           'patch-Lib-distutils-dist.py.diff', 'patch-setup.py.diff',
-                           'patch-configure-badcflags.diff', 'patch-configure-arch_only.diff',
-                           'patch-64bit.diff', 'patch-pyconfig.h.in.diff',
-                           'patch-Modules-posixmodule.c.diff', 'patch-gestaltmodule.c.diff']
-            if patches:
+                patches = ['patch-Makefile.pre.in.diff', 
+                           'patch-Lib-cgi.py.diff',
+                           'patch-Lib-distutils-dist.py.diff', 
+                           'patch-setup.py.diff',
+                           'patch-configure-badcflags.diff', 
+                           'patch-configure-arch_only.diff',
+                           'patch-64bit.diff', 
+                           'patch-pyconfig.h.in.diff',
+                           'patch-gestaltmodule.c.diff']
+                eds = {'_localemodule.c.ed': 'Modules/_localemodule.c', 
+                       'locale.py.ed': 'Lib/locale.py'}
+            elif is_python26(version):
+                patch_dir = PATH_PATCHES_MACOSX_PYTHON26
+                patches = ['patch-Lib-cgi.py.diff', 
+                           'patch-Lib-distutils-dist.py.diff',
+                           'patch-Mac-IDLE-Makefile.in.diff',
+                           'patch-Mac-Makefile.in.diff',
+                           'patch-Mac-PythonLauncher-Makefile.in.diff',
+                           'patch-Mac-Tools-Doc-setup.py.diff',
+                           'patch-setup.py-db46.diff',
+                           'patch-Lib-ctypes-macholib-dyld.py.diff',
+                           'patch-setup_no_tkinter.py.diff']
+                eds = {'_localemodule.c.ed': 'Modules/_localemodule.c', 
+                       'locale.py.ed': 'Lib/locale.py'}
+                
+            if patches or eds:
                 logger.info("Patching %s" % self.pkg.name)
                 for patch in patches:
                     s.check_call("patch -p0 < %s" % os.path.join(patch_dir, patch))
+                for (ed, source) in eds.items():
+                    ed = os.path.join(patch_dir, ed)
+                    s.check_call('ed - %s < %s' % (source, ed))
         except:
             logger.error("Failed to patch `%s`" % self.build_dir)
             sys.exit(1)
diff --git a/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python25/_localemodule.c.ed b/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python25/_localemodule.c.ed
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d4617a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python25/_localemodule.c.ed
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+g/defined(__APPLE__)/s//0/g
+w
diff --git a/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python25/locale.py.ed b/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python25/locale.py.ed
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0bdbf3e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python25/locale.py.ed
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+g/'darwin', /s///
+w
diff --git a/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python25/patch-FSIORefNum.diff b/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python25/patch-FSIORefNum.diff
deleted file mode 100644
index 6f8ac66..0000000
--- a/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python25/patch-FSIORefNum.diff
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
---- Mac/Modules/file/_Filemodule.c.orig	2009-09-12 15:55:59.000000000 +1000
-+++ Mac/Modules/file/_Filemodule.c	2009-09-12 16:12:07.000000000 +1000
-@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@
- 
- #include "pymactoolbox.h"
- 
-+typedef SInt16	FSIORefNum;
-+
- /* Macro to test whether a weak-loaded CFM function exists */
- #define PyMac_PRECHECK(rtn) do { if ( &rtn == NULL )  {\
-         PyErr_SetString(PyExc_NotImplementedError, \
diff --git a/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python25/patch-Misc-setuid-prog.c.diff b/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python25/patch-Misc-setuid-prog.c.diff
deleted file mode 100644
index 0fee9e7..0000000
--- a/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python25/patch-Misc-setuid-prog.c.diff
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
---- Misc/setuid-prog.c.orig	Sat Dec 11 14:29:22 2004
-+++ Misc/setuid-prog.c	Sat Dec 11 14:30:13 2004
-@@ -70,6 +70,12 @@
- #define environ _environ
- #endif
- 
-+#if defined(__APPLE__)
-+#include <sys/time.h>
-+#include <crt_externs.h>
-+#define environ (*_NSGetEnviron())
-+#endif
-+
- /* don't change def_IFS */
- char def_IFS[] = "IFS= \t\n";
- /* you may want to change def_PATH, but you should really change it in */
-
diff --git a/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python25/patch-Modules-posixmodule.c.diff b/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python25/patch-Modules-posixmodule.c.diff
deleted file mode 100644
index c14913c..0000000
--- a/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python25/patch-Modules-posixmodule.c.diff
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
---- Modules/posixmodule.c.orig	Sat Dec 11 14:27:52 2004
-+++ Modules/posixmodule.c	Sat Dec 11 14:28:17 2004
-@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@
- #endif
- 
- /* Return a dictionary corresponding to the POSIX environment table */
--#ifdef WITH_NEXT_FRAMEWORK
-+#ifdef __APPLE__
- /* On Darwin/MacOSX a shared library or framework has no access to
- ** environ directly, we must obtain it with _NSGetEnviron().
- */
-@@ -357,7 +357,7 @@
- 	d = PyDict_New();
- 	if (d == NULL)
- 		return NULL;
--#ifdef WITH_NEXT_FRAMEWORK
-+#ifdef __APPLE__
- 	if (environ == NULL)
- 		environ = *_NSGetEnviron();
- #endif
-
diff --git a/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python25/patch-configure.diff b/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python25/patch-configure.diff
deleted file mode 100644
index cc60be1..0000000
--- a/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python25/patch-configure.diff
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,28 +0,0 @@
---- configure.in.orig	2007-09-28 21:07:32.000000000 +0200
-+++ configure.in	2007-09-28 21:08:12.000000000 +0200
-@@ -669,6 +669,11 @@
- 	  BLDLIBRARY='-L. -lpython$(VERSION)'
- 	  RUNSHARED=DLL_PATH=`pwd`:${DLL_PATH:-/atheos/sys/libs:/atheos/autolnk/lib}
- 	  ;;
-+	Darwin*)
-+	  LDLIBRARY='libpython$(VERSION).dylib'
-+	  BLDLIBRARY='-L. -lpython$(VERSION)'
-+	  RUNSHARED=DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH="`pwd`:${DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH}"
-+	  ;;
-   esac
- else # shared is disabled
-   case $ac_sys_system in
---- configure.orig	2007-09-28 21:07:26.000000000 +0200
-+++ configure	2007-09-28 21:07:33.000000000 +0200
-@@ -3445,6 +3445,11 @@
- 	  BLDLIBRARY='-L. -lpython$(VERSION)'
- 	  RUNSHARED=DLL_PATH=`pwd`:${DLL_PATH:-/atheos/sys/libs:/atheos/autolnk/lib}
- 	  ;;
-+	Darwin*)
-+	  LDLIBRARY='libpython$(VERSION).dylib'
-+	  BLDLIBRARY='-L. -lpython$(VERSION)'
-+	  RUNSHARED=DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH="`pwd`:${DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH}"
-+	  ;;
-   esac
- else # shared is disabled
-   case $ac_sys_system in
diff --git a/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/_localemodule.c.ed b/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/_localemodule.c.ed
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..db1f5e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/_localemodule.c.ed
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+g/defined(__APPLE__)/s//0/g
+w
+
diff --git a/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/locale.py.ed b/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/locale.py.ed
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c87797c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/locale.py.ed
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+g/'darwin', /s///
+w
+
diff --git a/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/patch-Lib-cgi.py.diff b/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/patch-Lib-cgi.py.diff
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fb861bc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/patch-Lib-cgi.py.diff
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+--- Lib/cgi.py.orig	2006-08-10 19:41:07.000000000 +0200
++++ Lib/cgi.py	2007-08-21 15:36:54.000000000 +0200
+@@ -1,13 +1,6 @@
+-#! /usr/local/bin/python
++#! @@PREFIX@@/bin/python2.6
+ 
+-# NOTE: the above "/usr/local/bin/python" is NOT a mistake.  It is
+-# intentionally NOT "/usr/bin/env python".  On many systems
+-# (e.g. Solaris), /usr/local/bin is not in $PATH as passed to CGI
+-# scripts, and /usr/local/bin is the default directory where Python is
+-# installed, so /usr/bin/env would be unable to find python.  Granted,
+-# binary installations by Linux vendors often install Python in
+-# /usr/bin.  So let those vendors patch cgi.py to match their choice
+-# of installation.
++# NOTE: /usr/local/bin/python patched for MacPorts installation
+ 
+ """Support module for CGI (Common Gateway Interface) scripts.
+ 
diff --git a/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/patch-Lib-ctypes-macholib-dyld.py.diff b/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/patch-Lib-ctypes-macholib-dyld.py.diff
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..31216d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/patch-Lib-ctypes-macholib-dyld.py.diff
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+--- Lib/ctypes/macholib/dyld.py.orig	2008-02-21 11:52:20.000000000 -0700
++++ Lib/ctypes/macholib/dyld.py	2009-10-11 02:42:21.000000000 -0600
+@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
+ 
+ DEFAULT_LIBRARY_FALLBACK = [
+     os.path.expanduser("~/lib"),
+-    "/usr/local/lib",
++    "@@PREFIX@@/lib",
+     "/lib",
+     "/usr/lib",
+ ]
diff --git a/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/patch-Lib-distutils-dist.py.diff b/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/patch-Lib-distutils-dist.py.diff
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..45276c5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/patch-Lib-distutils-dist.py.diff
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+--- Lib/distutils/dist.py.orig	2008-09-03 05:13:56.000000000 -0600
++++ Lib/distutils/dist.py	2008-10-03 18:33:47.000000000 -0600
+@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@
+                       ('quiet', 'q', "run quietly (turns verbosity off)"),
+                       ('dry-run', 'n', "don't actually do anything"),
+                       ('help', 'h', "show detailed help message"),
++                      ('no-user-cfg', None,'ignore pydistutils.cfg in your home directory'),
+                      ]
+ 
+     # 'common_usage' is a short (2-3 line) string describing the common
+@@ -267,6 +268,12 @@
+                     else:
+                         sys.stderr.write(msg + "\n")
+ 
++        # no-user-cfg is handled before other command line args
++        # because other args override the config files, and this
++        # one is needed before we can load the config files.
++        # If attrs['script_args'] wasn't passed, assume false.
++        self.want_user_cfg = '--no-user-cfg' not in (self.script_args or [])
++
+         self.finalize_options()
+ 
+     # __init__ ()
+@@ -327,6 +334,9 @@
+         Distutils __inst__.py file lives), a file in the user's home
+         directory named .pydistutils.cfg on Unix and pydistutils.cfg
+         on Windows/Mac, and setup.cfg in the current directory.
++
++        The file in the user's home directory can be disabled with the
++        --no-user-cfg option.
+         """
+         files = []
+         check_environ()
+@@ -347,7 +357,7 @@
+ 
+         # And look for the user config file
+         user_file = os.path.join(os.path.expanduser('~'), user_filename)
+-        if os.path.isfile(user_file):
++        if self.want_user_cfg and os.path.isfile(user_file):
+             files.append(user_file)
+ 
+         # All platforms support local setup.cfg
+@@ -355,6 +365,8 @@
+         if os.path.isfile(local_file):
+             files.append(local_file)
+ 
++        if DEBUG:
++            print "using config files: %s" % ', '.join(files)
+         return files
+ 
+     # find_config_files ()
diff --git a/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/patch-Mac-IDLE-Makefile.in.diff b/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/patch-Mac-IDLE-Makefile.in.diff
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..36ef4b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/patch-Mac-IDLE-Makefile.in.diff
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+--- Mac/IDLE/Makefile.in.orig	2009-01-02 04:47:17.000000000 -0700
++++ Mac/IDLE/Makefile.in	2009-04-16 00:54:43.000000000 -0600
+@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
+ 
+ BUNDLEBULDER=$(srcdir)/../../Lib/plat-mac/bundlebuilder.py
+ 
+-PYTHONAPPSDIR=/Applications/$(PYTHONFRAMEWORK) $(VERSION)
++PYTHONAPPSDIR=@@APPLICATIONS_DIR@@/$(PYTHONFRAMEWORK) $(VERSION)
+ 
+ all: IDLE.app
+ 
+@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
+ 		$(srcdir)/../Icons/PythonSource.icns \
+ 		$(srcdir)/../Icons/PythonCompiled.icns Info.plist
+ 	rm -fr IDLE.app
+-	$(RUNSHARED) @ARCH_RUN_32BIT@ $(BUILDPYTHON) $(BUNDLEBULDER) \
++	PYTHONHOME=$(DESTDIR)$(prefix) $(RUNSHARED) @ARCH_RUN_32BIT@ $(BUILDPYTHON) $(BUNDLEBULDER) \
+ 		--builddir=. \
+ 		--name=IDLE \
+ 		--link-exec \
diff --git a/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/patch-Mac-Makefile.in.diff b/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/patch-Mac-Makefile.in.diff
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..84d41d1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/patch-Mac-Makefile.in.diff
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+--- Mac/Makefile.in.orig	2009-03-30 13:58:41.000000000 -0600
++++ Mac/Makefile.in	2009-04-16 00:54:26.000000000 -0600
+@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
+ 
+ # These are normally glimpsed from the previous set
+ bindir=$(prefix)/bin
+-PYTHONAPPSDIR=/Applications/$(PYTHONFRAMEWORK) $(VERSION)
++PYTHONAPPSDIR=@@APPLICATIONS_DIR@@/$(PYTHONFRAMEWORK) $(VERSION)
+ APPINSTALLDIR=$(prefix)/Resources/Python.app
+ 
+ # Variables for installing the "normal" unix binaries
+@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@
+ 	cd IDLE && make install
+ 
+ install_BuildApplet:
+-	$(RUNSHARED) @ARCH_RUN_32BIT@ $(BUILDPYTHON) $(srcdir)/scripts/BuildApplet.py \
++	PYTHONHOME=$(DESTDIR)$(prefix) $(RUNSHARED) @ARCH_RUN_32BIT@ $(BUILDPYTHON) $(srcdir)/scripts/BuildApplet.py \
+ 		--destroot "$(DESTDIR)" \
+ 		--python=$(prefix)/Resources/Python.app/Contents/MacOS/$(PYTHONFRAMEWORK)`test -f "$(DESTDIR)$(prefix)/Resources/Python.app/Contents/MacOS/$(PYTHONFRAMEWORK)-32" && echo "-32"`  \
+ 		--output "$(DESTDIR)$(PYTHONAPPSDIR)/Build Applet.app" \
diff --git a/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/patch-Mac-PythonLauncher-Makefile.in.diff b/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/patch-Mac-PythonLauncher-Makefile.in.diff
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2466c09
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/patch-Mac-PythonLauncher-Makefile.in.diff
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+--- Mac/PythonLauncher/Makefile.in.orig	2009-01-02 04:47:17.000000000 -0700
++++ Mac/PythonLauncher/Makefile.in	2009-04-16 00:55:11.000000000 -0600
+@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
++prefix=@prefix@
+ CC=@CC@
+ LD=@CC@
+ BASECFLAGS=@BASECFLAGS@
+@@ -21,7 +22,7 @@
+ 
+ BUNDLEBULDER=$(srcdir)/../../Lib/plat-mac/bundlebuilder.py
+ 
+-PYTHONAPPSDIR=/Applications/$(PYTHONFRAMEWORK) $(VERSION)
++PYTHONAPPSDIR=@@APPLICATIONS_DIR@@/$(PYTHONFRAMEWORK) $(VERSION)
+ OBJECTS=FileSettings.o MyAppDelegate.o MyDocument.o PreferencesWindowController.o doscript.o main.o
+ 
+ all: Python\ Launcher.app
+@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@
+ 		$(srcdir)/../Icons/PythonCompiled.icns \
+ 		$(srcdir)/factorySettings.plist
+ 	rm -fr "Python Launcher.app"
+-	$(RUNSHARED) $(BUILDPYTHON) $(BUNDLEBULDER) \
++	PYTHONHOME=$(DESTDIR)$(prefix) $(RUNSHARED) $(BUILDPYTHON) $(BUNDLEBULDER) \
+ 		--builddir=. \
+ 		--name="Python Launcher" \
+ 		--executable="Python Launcher" \
diff --git a/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/patch-Mac-Tools-Doc-setup.py.diff b/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/patch-Mac-Tools-Doc-setup.py.diff
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..63e4e11
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/patch-Mac-Tools-Doc-setup.py.diff
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+--- Mac/Tools/Doc/setup.py.diff	2008-03-29 09:24:25.000000000 -0600
++++ Mac/Tools/Doc/setup.py	2008-10-04 19:53:40.000000000 -0600
+@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
+ 
+ MAJOR_VERSION='2.4'
+ MINOR_VERSION='2.4.1'
+-DESTDIR='/Applications/MacPython-%s/PythonIDE.app/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/PythonDocumentation' % MAJOR_VERSION
++DESTDIR='@@APPLICATIONS_DIR@@/MacPython-%s/PythonIDE.app/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/PythonDocumentation' % MAJOR_VERSION
+ 
+ class DocBuild(build):
+     def initialize_options(self):
diff --git a/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/patch-setup.py-db46.diff b/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/patch-setup.py-db46.diff
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..45d726e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/patch-setup.py-db46.diff
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+--- setup.py.orig	2010-10-19 22:33:25.000000000 +0200
++++ setup.py	2010-10-19 22:33:54.000000000 +0200
+@@ -799,7 +799,7 @@
+                 # BerkeleyDB 4.6.x is not stable on many architectures.
+                 arch = platform_machine()
+                 if arch not in ('i386', 'i486', 'i586', 'i686',
+-                                'x86_64', 'ia64'):
++                                'x86_64', 'ia64', 'Power Macintosh'):
+                     return False
+             return True
+ 
diff --git a/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/patch-setup_no_tkinter.py.diff b/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/patch-setup_no_tkinter.py.diff
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5009a42
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pythonbrew/patches/macosx/python26/patch-setup_no_tkinter.py.diff
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+--- setup.py.orig	2009-03-31 12:20:48.000000000 -0600
++++ setup.py	2009-09-17 00:33:12.000000000 -0600
+@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
+ from distutils.command.install_lib import install_lib
+ 
+ # This global variable is used to hold the list of modules to be disabled.
+-disabled_module_list = []
++disabled_module_list = ["_tkinter"]
+ 
+ def add_dir_to_list(dirlist, dir):
+     """Add the directory 'dir' to the list 'dirlist' (at the front) if