Python Style Guide

Did you realize Python has a style guide to clarify consistent and readable code? It covers topics such as white space of indentations in-line, capitalization of variable, function, and class names, and formatting of comments. Read Pep8

Now I look at my code examples and see a whole lot of ugly. Some good news is that some of the proper styles can be integrated into your vim configuration. A tab on your keyboard can type four spaces. A red line can be drawn vertically to show when a line exceeds the recommended 79 characters. The other good news is that you can run the pep8 script to find style errors. I am going to make an effort to follow the style guide, as well as improve my names. By using "is" to preface boolean tests, verbs such as "get" prefacing function names, and complete words or widely accepted abbreviations (such as str for string), my code can be more readable. I am also going to make my names something that I can sound out. As my code becomes more complicated, variable class and method names are easier to remember if you can pronounce them out loud. 

To use pep8, you simply install it using pip or easy install, run it against your python file, then read the corrections pep8 expects. Example corrections may be that two empty lines were expected instead of one, max line length was surpassed, or extra spacing was found. The script prints the lines that each instance is found on, so you can easily make changes if you want to comply with the preferred style. Documentation can be found here.

I am reaching a stage in my learning where I am reading more code than I am writing. Ambiguous names, inconsistent capitalization, incorrect spelling, and weird in-line spacing makes reading code more difficult. I did have the mindset that if Python didn't care, why should I? Well, now I do care. Just like when learning a spoken language, reading is an important part of learning how to communicate with the language properly.

Just a reflection

We have moved to Chile. Yes, the country. I really like it ere, except that my husband's laptop warranty does not apply here. So because he spilt Zuko on his computer, he is using mine and I cannot code Python on an iPhone. I have had some recent experiences that I thought I'd share. First, I want to get better with Linux. If you do not know Linux, you are not a nerd and you are powerless to improve your operating system and most of your coding environment. A friend's business uses Linux machines as kiosks, so I was setting up all the applications they use on their newest system. The newest version of Ubuntu is insanely beginner friendly. Instead of just giving an error sound when you've messed up, it attempts to correct your mistake or explain why you couldn't do what you were trying to do. Of course Linux is free and so are the programs for it. Just about anything you would buy for your Windows or iOS computer has a free open source version that runs on Linux. In Linux, you can customize everything to suit your needs and style. I can have a window manager that allows me to never use my touchpad/mouse. With a custom operating system and vim configuration, coding could be more productive.

Another reflection is the cool use of Python for games. Blender is a gaming engine with a GUI, simple enough for artistic people to draw and program 3D games. Blender can also be used for video animations. I like Khan Academy, but think that their videos resemble a lecture. After five minutes, I want to fall asleep or check Facebook. I want to try to make instructional videos in Blender to teach math and physics. Blender has a built in physics engine, so I do not think creating physics animations would be difficult. Check out Pissed Off Penguins on YouTube to see Blender being used to make an Angry Birds similar game. The other cool gaming technology in Python is Pygame. I was not previously interested in Pygame. Tetris, Woohoo. But a friend's application of Pygame in his kiosks is so intriguing to me. I now want to learn other applications of PyGame.

I learned what I could from SICP, but it wasn't applicable to my interests. I like math, physics, and chemistry, but I'm not interested in using Scheme to prove all of Newton's theorems. The first chapter was worth reading, but that's all. So for now I am learning Spanish, playing with my dSLR, and wishing I could build something with Python. Web apps are intimidating, but I'm pretty sure I can do Blender and PyGame. Hopefully I'll get my computer back in the next three weeks, but probably not :(