--- a/abbrev/main.py	Sun Mar 02 19:01:54 2014 -0800
+++ b/abbrev/main.py	Mon Mar 03 18:33:32 2014 -0800
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 abbreviate lists of words to e.g. single-letter switches
 """
 
-import optparse
+import argparse
 import os
 import subprocess
 import sys
@@ -31,22 +31,18 @@
                     self.lookup[abbrev] = word
 
 
-def add_options(parser):
-    """add options to the OptionParser instance"""
-
 def main(args=sys.argv[1:]):
 
     # parse command line options
-    usage = '%prog [options] ...'
-    class PlainDescriptionFormatter(optparse.IndentedHelpFormatter):
-        """description formatter for console script entry point"""
-        def format_description(self, description):
-            if description:
-                return description.strip() + '\n'
-            else:
-                return ''
-    parser = optparse.OptionParser(usage=usage, description=__doc__, formatter=PlainDescriptionFormatter())
-    options, args = parser.parse_args(args)
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+    parser.add_argument('words', nargs='+',
+                        help="words")
+    parser.add_argumnet('-m', '--max', dest='max',
+                        type=int, default=1
+                        help="maximum number of letters to use")
+    options = parser.parse_args(args)
+
+    abbrev = Abbrev
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
   main()