title: how strings are stored by python in computers?
body: <p>I believe most of you who are familiar with Python have read Dive Into Python 3. In chapter 4.3, it says this:</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>In Python 3, all strings are sequences of Unicode characters. There is no such thing as a Python string encoded in UTF-8, or a Python string encoded as CP-1252. “Is this string UTF-8?” is an invalid question.</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>Somehow I understand what this means: strings = characters in the Unicode set, and Python can help you encode characters according to different encoding methods. However, are characters in Pythons stored as bytes in computers anyway? For example, s = 'strings', and s is surely stored in my computer as a byte strem '0100100101...' or whatever. Then what is this encoding method used here - The "default" encoding method of Python?</p>
  
  <p>Thanks!</p>