The module optparse was a great addition to Python 2.3, since it is much more powerful and easier to use than getopt. Using optparse, writing command-line tools is a breeze. However, The Power of optparse comes together with a certain verbosity. This recipe allows to use optparse with a minimum of boilerplate, trading flexibility for easy of use. Still, it covers 95% of my common needs, so I think it may be useful to others.
