Google and Python code

http://panela.blog-city.com/python_at_google_greg_stein__sdforum.htm

21^st of February 2006

After reading Matt Harrison's notes about Python at Google I noticed something which I couldn't add up.

"Python programmers at Google must follow a strict style guideline (based on PEP8 with 2 spaced indenting). When engineers are first granted commit access to their SCM system, they must pass a style test."

"based on PEP8" but rejecting such an important part as indentation really is.

From PEP 8 Style Guide for Python Code

"Use 4 spaces per indentation level."

All Python code from Google Code uses 2 spaces (not tabs) and that's not what Guido uses or recommends.

I know this is an anal issue to nag about but I was modifying some code today that uses 2 spaces and I just think it's more difficult to scan. Look at this Google code for example (from GTags):

def read_quoted_string(sexp, preserve_backslashes = 0):
  retval = ''
  i = 0
  while sexp[i] != '"':
    i = i + 1
  i = i + 1  # skip opening "
  while sexp[i] != '"':
    if sexp[i] == '\\':
      i = i + 1   # skip over \
      if preserve_backslashes:
        retval += '\\'
      retval += sexp[i]
    else:
      retval += sexp[i]
    i = i + 1
  return (i, retval)

Compared to the same code but formatted according to PEP 8:

def read_quoted_string(sexp, preserve_backslashes = 0):
    retval = ''
    i = 0
    while sexp[i] != '"':
        i = i + 1
    i = i + 1  # skip opening "
    while sexp[i] != '"':
        if sexp[i] == '\\':
            i = i + 1   # skip over \
            if preserve_backslashes:
                retval += '\\'
            retval += sexp[i]
        else:
            retval += sexp[i]
        i = i + 1
    return (i, retval)

Notice how the Google code also formats their parameters:

(sexp, preserve_backslashes = 0)

And again, this is what PEP 8 says on the subject:

Yes:
      def complex(real, imag=0.0):
          return magic(r=real, i=imag)

No:
      def complex(real, imag = 0.0):
          return magic(r = real, i = imag)

Why Google? Why can't you adhere to the more readable PEP 8 now that you've started sharing your code on Google Code

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