diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 15ab4c9ee..cc6190050 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -334,6 +334,10 @@ Instead, use scm_c_memq or scm_memq, scm_memv, scm_member.
         * return 0 if the request is for 0 bytes, with no end-of-file
           check
 
+** New function: object->string OBJ
+
+Return a Scheme string obtained by printing a given object.
+
 ** New function: port? X
 
 Returns a boolean indicating whether X is a port.  Equivalent to
@@ -622,6 +626,10 @@ Use scm_make_smob_type and scm_set_smob_XXX instead.
 
 This can be used to set an apply function to a smob type.
 
+** Deprecated function:  scm_strprint_obj
+
+Use scm_object_to_string instead.
+
 
 Changes since Guile 1.3.4:
 
diff --git a/RELEASE b/RELEASE
index 54471fc05..8e797adf0 100644
--- a/RELEASE
+++ b/RELEASE
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ In release 1.6:
   strictly scsh-compatible version which uses multiple values.  For
   interactive use it would be easy to load the module in ~/.guile.
 - remove scm_close_all_ports_except
+- remove scm_strprint_obj
 
 Modules sort.c and random.c should be factored out into separate
 modules (but still be distributed with guile-core) when we get a new
diff --git a/libguile/ChangeLog b/libguile/ChangeLog
index 320af3503..8371560ff 100644
--- a/libguile/ChangeLog
+++ b/libguile/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+2001-03-12  Keisuke Nishida  <kxn30@po.cwru.edu>
+
+	* strports.c (scm_object_to_string): New procedure.
+	(scm_strprint_obj): Deprecated.
+	* strports.h: Reflect the changes.
+
 2001-03-12  Dirk Herrmann  <D.Herrmann@tu-bs.de>
 
 	* goops.h (SCM_VALIDATE_PUREGENERIC):  New macro.
diff --git a/libguile/strports.c b/libguile/strports.c
index 8a99e618b..5dad27063 100644
--- a/libguile/strports.c
+++ b/libguile/strports.c
@@ -311,6 +311,31 @@ SCM scm_strport_to_string (SCM port)
   return scm_makfromstr ((char *) pt->read_buf, pt->read_buf_size, 0);
 }
 
+SCM_DEFINE (scm_object_to_string, "object->string", 1, 0, 0,
+	    (SCM obj),
+	    "Return a Scheme string obtained by printing a given object.")
+#define FUNC_NAME s_scm_object_to_string
+{
+  SCM str;
+  SCM port;
+
+  str = scm_makstr (0, 0);
+  port = scm_mkstrport (SCM_INUM0, str, SCM_OPN | SCM_WRTNG, "scm_strprint_obj");
+  scm_prin1 (obj, port, 1);
+  return scm_strport_to_string (port);
+}
+#undef FUNC_NAME
+
+#if (SCM_DEBUG_DEPRECATED == 0)
+
+SCM
+scm_strprint_obj (SCM obj)
+{
+  return scm_object_to_string (obj);
+}
+
+#endif /* (SCM_DEBUG_DEPRECATED == 0) */
+
 SCM_DEFINE (scm_call_with_output_string, "call-with-output-string", 1, 0, 0, 
            (SCM proc),
 	    "Calls the one-argument procedure @var{proc} with a newly created output\n"
@@ -330,29 +355,6 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_call_with_output_string, "call-with-output-string", 1, 0, 0,
 }
 #undef FUNC_NAME
 
-
-
-/* Return a Scheme string obtained by printing a given object.
- */
-
-
-SCM
-scm_strprint_obj (SCM obj)
-{
-  SCM str;
-  SCM port;
-
-  str = scm_makstr (0, 0);
-  port = scm_mkstrport (SCM_INUM0, str, SCM_OPN | SCM_WRTNG, "scm_strprint_obj");
-  scm_prin1 (obj, port, 1);
-  {
-    return scm_strport_to_string (port);
-  }
-}
-
-
-
-
 SCM_DEFINE (scm_call_with_input_string, "call-with-input-string", 2, 0, 0,
            (SCM str, SCM proc),
 	    "Calls the one-argument procedure @var{proc} with a newly created input\n"
diff --git a/libguile/strports.h b/libguile/strports.h
index 28bae69b4..917b73f60 100644
--- a/libguile/strports.h
+++ b/libguile/strports.h
@@ -50,14 +50,20 @@
 
 extern SCM scm_mkstrport (SCM pos, SCM str, long modes, const char * caller);
 extern SCM scm_strport_to_string (SCM port);
+extern SCM scm_object_to_string (SCM obj);
 extern SCM scm_call_with_output_string (SCM proc);
-extern SCM scm_strprint_obj (SCM obj);
 extern SCM scm_call_with_input_string (SCM str, SCM proc);
 extern SCM scm_read_0str (char *expr);
 extern SCM scm_eval_0str (const char *expr);
 extern SCM scm_eval_string (SCM string);
 extern void scm_init_strports (void);
 
+#if (SCM_DEBUG_DEPRECATED == 0)
+
+extern SCM scm_strprint_obj (SCM obj);
+
+#endif /* SCM_DEBUG_DEPRECATED == 0 */
+
 #endif  /* STRPORTSH */
 
 /*