Guido mentioned this in python-3000-checkins.  I agree the problem
should be fixed.

"""
I think the automatic skip on ImportError is harmful.

We should add a helper function to test_support so that you can write

foobar = test_support.import_optional('foobar')

and it will skip the test if foobar cannot be imported; all other
failing imports should cause the test to *fail*.

This should be an easy two-part task.
"""

Attaching a patch that implements optional_import().

The only arg included from __import__ is fromfile, as it's the only one 
I needed to fix up the stdlib.

Attaching a patch that removes ``from _winreg import *`` in 
test_winreg.py, which will allow usage of optional_import.

Attaching a patch that refactors the test_sunaudiodev.py imports.

The previous winreg refactor patch didn't catch all the changes; 
attaching a new patch that fixes everything, with help from Trent 
Nelson.

Attaching a patch, based on the previous patches, that fixes the stdlib 
to use optional_import where ImportError was raised.

These need testing on various platforms to make sure all the 
ImportErrors are caught.  I'm on x86 Linux.

Fixed as of r70930 on trunk and shortly thereafter on the py3k branch.

I did this at the pycon sprint, and unfortunately I only discovered this
issue and your patches after I was done.  So thank you for your work and
I'm sorry it didn't actually get used (it would have allowed me to get
done faster if I'd known about it).  The solution implemented is very
similar to yours, though different in a few details.