I'll take these comments to heart and think about it. However when implementing an algorithm I prefer to write out the algorithm in mathematical notation in the comments which will obviously explain the names of the variables. If someone reading the code can't understand it they couldn't anyway. I just find PEP8 very inflexible and my work mate has slowed a one month project down to 4 months and counting with his attitude towards the work and we're massively behind schedule.