[DONOTMERGE] Improve Python 3 compat, clean up code

Further improve compatibility with Python 3 by making the `urlparse` import
conditional.

Make some sed expressions use "|" as a separator instead of "/", thus allowing
all occurrences of "\/" to be removed.

Update some comments and shuffle around code to make it more compact and
readable. Add some FIXMEs.
OK. That makes sense. I'll update the comment in the code itself for the benefit of others reading the code.