diff --git a/direct/src/directscripts/make-panda3d-tgz.py b/direct/src/directscripts/make-panda3d-tgz.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..9ea1888b5e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/direct/src/directscripts/make-panda3d-tgz.py
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+"""This script generates the panda3d-date.tar.gz tarball for a file
+release of panda3d onto the SourceForge download site.
+
+Options:
+
+    -d cvsroot
+        Specifies the CVSROOT string to use to tag and export the
+        tree.  The default is $SFROOT if it is defined, or $CVSROOT
+        otherwise.
+ 
+    -r tag
+        Specifies the tag to export from.  If this parameter is
+        specified, the tree is not tagged again; otherwise, the
+        current head of the CVS tree is tagged with the file version
+        name.
+
+    -m module
+        Specifies the module to check out and build.  The default is 
+        panda3d.
+"""
+
+import sys
+import os
+import os.path
+import getopt
+import time
+import glob
+import shutil
+
+CVSROOT = os.getenv('SFROOT') or os.getenv('CVSROOT')
+ORIGTAG = ''
+MODULE  = 'panda3d'
+
+def usage(code, msg = ''):
+    print >> sys.stderr, __doc__
+    print >> sys.stderr, msg
+    sys.exit(code)
+
+try:
+    opts, args = getopt.getopt(sys.argv[1:], 'd:r:m:h')
+except getopt.error, msg:
+    usage(1, msg)
+
+for opt, arg in opts:
+    if opt == '-d':
+        CVSROOT = arg
+    elif opt == '-r':
+        ORIGTAG = arg
+    elif opt == '-m':
+        MODULE = arg
+    elif opt == '-h':
+        usage(0)
+
+if not CVSROOT:
+    usage(1, 'CVSROOT must have a value.')
+
+if not MODULE:
+    usage(1, 'MODULE must have a value.')
+
+basename = MODULE + '-' + time.strftime("%Y-%m-%d")
+tarfile = basename + '.tar.gz'
+zipfile = basename + '.zip'
+
+if os.path.exists(basename):
+    print basename, 'already exists in the local directory!'
+    sys.exit(1)
+
+if not ORIGTAG:
+    # If we weren't given a starting tag, make one.
+    tag = basename
+
+    print 'Tagging sources.'
+    cmd = 'cvs -f -d "%s" rtag -F -r HEAD "%s" "%s"' % (CVSROOT, tag, MODULE)
+    os.system(cmd)
+else:
+    # Otherwise, we were given a starting tag, so use it.
+    tag = ORIGTAG
+
+print 'Checking out "%s" as "%s".' % (MODULE, basename)
+cmd = 'cvs -z3 -f -d "%s" export -r "%s" -d "%s" "%s"' % (CVSROOT, tag,
+                                                          basename, MODULE)
+os.system(cmd)
+
+# Move the contents of the doc module into the root directory where people
+# will expect to see it.
+docdir = basename + os.sep + 'doc'
+if os.path.exists(docdir):
+    files = glob.glob(docdir + os.sep + '*')
+    for file in files:
+        shutil.copy(file, basename)
+        os.remove(file)
+    os.rmdir(docdir)
+
+# Generate the tarball.
+cmd = 'tar cvzf "%s" "%s"' % (tarfile, basename)
+os.system(cmd)
+
+# Also generate a .zip file.
+if os.path.exists(zipfile):
+    os.remove(zipfile)
+cmd = 'zip -9r "%s" "%s"' % (zipfile, basename)
+os.system(cmd)
+
+shutil.rmtree(basename)
diff --git a/direct/src/directscripts/make-panda3d-tgz.sh b/direct/src/directscripts/make-panda3d-tgz.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 2ec73c044c..0000000000
--- a/direct/src/directscripts/make-panda3d-tgz.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,90 +0,0 @@
-#! /bin/sh
-#
-# This script generates the panda3d-date.tar.gz tarball for a file
-# release of panda3d onto the SourceForge download site.
-#
-# Options:
-#
-#   -d cvsroot
-#        Specifies the CVSROOT string to use to tag and export the
-#        tree.  The default is $SFROOT if it is defined, or $CVSROOT
-#        otherwise.
-#
-#   -r tag
-#        Specifies the tag to export from.  If this parameter is
-#        specified, the tree is not tagged again; otherwise, the
-#        current head of the CVS tree is tagged with the file version
-#        name.
-#
-#   -m module
-#        Specifies the module to check out and build.  The default is 
-#        panda3d.
-#
-#ENDCOMMENT
-
-if [ ! -z "$SFROOT" ]; then
-  cvsroot="$SFROOT"
-else
-  cvsroot="$CVSROOT"
-fi
-origtag=
-module=panda3d
-while getopts d:r:m:h OPT; do
-    case $OPT in
-       d) cvsroot="$OPTARG";;
-       r) origtag="$OPTARG";;
-       m) module="$OPTARG";;
-       h) sed -e '/#ENDCOMMENT/,$d' <$0
-          exit 1
-          ;;
-       ?) echo Use $0 -h to see options.
-          exit 1
-          ;;
-    esac
-done
-shift `expr $OPTIND - 1`
-
-if [ ! -z "$*" ]; then
-  echo Unexpected options: $*
-  echo Use $0 -h to see options.
-  exit 1
-fi
-
-basename="$module"-`date +%F`
-tarfile="$basename".tar.gz
-zipfile="$basename".zip
-
-if [ -e "$basename" ]; then
-  echo "$basename" already exists in the local directory!
-  exit 1
-fi
-
-if [ -z "$origtag" ]; then
-  # If we weren't given a starting tag, make one.
-  newtag="$basename"
-  echo Tagging sources.
-  cvs -f -d "$cvsroot" rtag -F -r HEAD "$newtag" "$module" || exit
-else
-  # Otherwise, we were given a starting tag, so use it.
-  newtag="$origtag"
-fi
-
-echo Checking out "$module" as "$basename".
-cvs -z3 -f -d "$cvsroot" export -r "$newtag" -d "$basename" "$module" || exit
-
-# Move the contents of the doc module into the root directory where
-# people will expect to see it.
-if [ -d "$basename"/doc ]; then
-  mv "$basename"/doc/* "$basename" || exit
-  rmdir "$basename"/doc || exit
-fi
-
-# Generate the tarball.
-tar cvzf "$tarfile" "$basename" || exit
-
-# Also a zip file for the convenience of Windows users.
-rm -f "$zipfile"
-zip -r "$zipfile" "$basename" || exit
-
-rm -rf "$basename"
-