code: def _make_binary_stream(thing, encoding=None, armor=True):
      
      if _py3k:
          if isinstance(thing, str):
              thing = thing.encode(encoding)
      else:
          if type(thing) is not str:
              thing = thing.encode(encoding)
  
      try:
          rv = BytesIO(thing)
      except NameError:
          rv = StringIO(thing)
  
      return rv
docs: Encode **thing**, then make it stream/file-like.
  
      :param thing: The thing to turn into a encoded stream.
      :rtype: ``io.BytesIO`` or ``io.StringIO``.
      :returns: The encoded **thing**, wrapped in an ``io.BytesIO`` (if
          available), otherwise wrapped in a ``io.StringIO``.