Is there a way to import a Python module stored in a cStringIO data structure vs. physical disk file?

It looks like "imp.load_compiled(name, pathname[, file])" is what I need, but the description of this method (and similar methods) has the following disclaimer:

Quote: "The file argument is the byte-compiled code file, open for reading in binary mode, from the beginning. It must currently be a real file object, not a user-defined class emulating a file." [1]

I tried using a cStringIO object vs. a real file object, but the help documentation is correct - only a real file object can be used.

Any ideas on why these modules would impose such a restriction or is this just an historical artifact?

Are there any techniques I can use to avoid this physical file requirement?

Thanks, Malcolm

[1] http://docs.python.org/library/imp.html#imp.load_module