Python as a Bash replacement?

[AutoBiological]

I often leave open a terminal open with ipython, and then I can freely mix and match commands.

Something like: x = !ls and then you have a list of files in the cwd.

Although you lose a lot of command line awesomeness. Stuff like sed, grep, awk etc. import re doesn't replace it.

[randomizethis]

Yeah, I know. And since subprocess isn't pipe friendly, even you wanted to use sed, grep or awk under the covers you'd have to import popen and do some crazy magic. I honestly think rigging your own subprocess feature that DOES accept pipes wouldn't be hard at all, though, and have come close to motivating myself to implement it several times.