It supports the same conventions as the Unix :cfunc:`getopt` function (including
the special meanings of arguments of the form '``-``' and '``--``'). Long
options similar to those supported by GNU software may be used as well via an
-optional third argument. This module provides two functions and an
+optional third argument.
+
+A more convenient, flexible, and powerful alternative is the
+:mod:`optparse` module.
+
+This module provides two functions and an
exception:
``optparse`` is a more convenient, flexible, and powerful library for parsing
-command-line options than ``getopt``. ``optparse`` uses a more declarative
+command-line options than the old :mod:`getopt` module. ``optparse`` uses a more declarative
style of command-line parsing: you create an instance of :class:`OptionParser`,
populate it with options, and parse the command line. ``optparse`` allows users
to specify options in the conventional GNU/POSIX syntax, and additionally