title: "ValueError: embedded null character" when using open()
body: <p>I am taking python at my college and I am stuck with my current assignment.  We are supposed to take 2 files and compare them. I am simply trying to open the files so I can use them but I keep getting the error <code>"ValueError: embedded null character"</code> </p>
  
  <pre><code>file1 = input("Enter the name of the first file: ")
  file1_open = open(file1)
  file1_content = file1_open.read()
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>What does this error mean?</p>