diff --git a/gcloud/datastore/helpers.py b/gcloud/datastore/helpers.py
index e6244d025bdc..66ef4567ad37 100644
--- a/gcloud/datastore/helpers.py
+++ b/gcloud/datastore/helpers.py
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ def key_from_protobuf(pb):
     return Key(path, namespace, dataset_id)
 
 
-def _get_protobuf_attribute_and_value(val):
+def _pb_attr_value(val):
     """Given a value, return the protobuf attribute name and proper value.
 
     The Protobuf API uses different attribute names
@@ -96,9 +96,9 @@ def _get_protobuf_attribute_and_value(val):
 
     For example:
 
-    >>> _get_protobuf_attribute_and_value(1234)
+    >>> _pb_attr_value(1234)
     ('integer_value', 1234)
-    >>> _get_protobuf_attribute_and_value('my_string')
+    >>> _pb_attr_value('my_string')
     ('string_value', 'my_string')
 
     :type val: `datetime.datetime`, :class:`gcloud.datastore.key.Key`,
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ def _set_protobuf_value(value_pb, val):
         value_pb.Clear()
         return
 
-    attr, val = _get_protobuf_attribute_and_value(val)
+    attr, val = _pb_attr_value(val)
     if attr == 'key_value':
         value_pb.key_value.CopyFrom(val)
     elif attr == 'entity_value':
diff --git a/gcloud/datastore/test_helpers.py b/gcloud/datastore/test_helpers.py
index a845c6c920f7..893ed2ccacb4 100644
--- a/gcloud/datastore/test_helpers.py
+++ b/gcloud/datastore/test_helpers.py
@@ -118,12 +118,12 @@ def test_w_path_in_pb(self):
         self.assertEqual(key.path(), _PATH)
 
 
-class Test__get_protobuf_attribute_and_value(unittest2.TestCase):
+class Test__pb_attr_value(unittest2.TestCase):
 
     def _callFUT(self, val):
-        from gcloud.datastore.helpers import _get_protobuf_attribute_and_value
+        from gcloud.datastore.helpers import _pb_attr_value
 
-        return _get_protobuf_attribute_and_value(val)
+        return _pb_attr_value(val)
 
     def test_datetime_naive(self):
         import calendar
diff --git a/gcloud/storage/key.py b/gcloud/storage/key.py
index 958f2f844d9f..8104f5313953 100644
--- a/gcloud/storage/key.py
+++ b/gcloud/storage/key.py
@@ -126,9 +126,11 @@ def public_url(self):
         :rtype: `string`
         :returns: The public URL for this key.
         """
-        return '{storage_base_url}/{self.bucket.name}/{self.name}'.format(
+        return '{storage_base_url}/{bucket_name}/{key_name}'.format(
             storage_base_url='http://commondatastorage.googleapis.com',
-            self=self)
+            key_name=self.name,
+            bucket_name=self.bucket.name,
+            )
 
     def generate_signed_url(self, expiration, method='GET'):
         """Generates a signed URL for this key.
@@ -151,7 +153,10 @@ def generate_signed_url(self, expiration, method='GET'):
         :returns: A signed URL you can use to access the resource
                   until expiration.
         """
-        resource = '/{self.bucket.name}/{self.name}'.format(self=self)
+        resource = '/{bucket_name}/{key_name}'.format(
+            key_name=self.name,
+            bucket_name=self.bucket.name,
+            )
         return self.connection.generate_signed_url(resource=resource,
                                                    expiration=expiration,
                                                    method=method)
diff --git a/pylintrc_default b/pylintrc_default
index 1caa15be925c..12eb9eb058d2 100644
--- a/pylintrc_default
+++ b/pylintrc_default
@@ -1,33 +1,394 @@
-# This config is intended to be used for library
-# and other production code.
+# PyLint config for 'gcloud' *library* code. 
+#
+# NOTES:
+#
+# - Rules for test / demo code are generated into 'pylintrc_reduced'
+#   as deltas from this configuration by the 'run_pylint.py' script.
+#
+# - 'RATIONALE:  API mapping' as a defense for non-default settings is
+#   based on the fact that this library maps APIs which are outside our
+#   control, and adhereing to the out-of-the-box defaults would induce
+#   breakage / complexity in those mappings
+#
+[MASTER]
 
-[BASIC]
-good-names = i, j, k, ex, Run, _, pb, id,
-             _get_protobuf_attribute_and_value
+# Specify a configuration file.
+# DEFAULT:  rcfile=
 
-[DESIGN]
-max-args = 10
+# Python code to execute, usually for sys.path manipulation such as
+# pygtk.require().
+# DEFAULT: init-hook=
 
-[FORMAT]
-# NOTE: By default pylint ignores whitespace checks around the
-#       constructs "dict-separator" (cases like {1:2}) and "trailing-comma"
-#       (cases like {1: 2, }). By setting "no-space-check" to empty
-#       whitespace checks will be enforced around both constructs.
-no-space-check =
+# Profiled execution.
+# DEFAULT:  profile=no
 
-[MASTER]
+# Add files or directories to the blacklist. They should be base names, not
+# paths.
+# DEFAULT:  ignore=CVS
 # NOTE: This path must be relative due to the use of
 #       os.walk in astroid.modutils.get_module_files.
-ignore = datastore_v1_pb2.py
+# RATIONALE:
+#   datastore_v1_pb2.py:   protobuf-generated code.
+ignore =
+    datastore_v1_pb2.py
+
+# Pickle collected data for later comparisons.
+# DEFAULT:  persistent=yes
+
+# List of plugins (as comma separated values of python modules names) to load,
+# usually to register additional checkers.
+# DEFAULT:  load-plugins=
+
+# DEPRECATED
+# DEFAULT:  include-ids=no
+
+# DEPRECATED
+# DEFAULT:  symbols=no
+
 
 [MESSAGES CONTROL]
-disable = I, protected-access, maybe-no-member, no-member,
-          redefined-builtin, star-args, missing-format-attribute,
-          similarities, arguments-differ,
-          too-many-public-methods, too-few-public-methods
+
+# Enable the message, report, category or checker with the given id(s). You can
+# either give multiple identifier separated by comma (,) or put this option
+# multiple time. See also the "--disable" option for examples.
+# DEFAULT:  enable=
+
+# Disable the message, report, category or checker with the given id(s). You
+# can either give multiple identifiers separated by comma (,) or put this
+# option multiple times (only on the command line, not in the configuration
+# file where it should appear only once).You can also use "--disable=all" to
+# disable everything first and then reenable specific checks. For example, if
+# you want to run only the similarities checker, you can use "--disable=all
+# --enable=similarities". If you want to run only the classes checker, but have
+# no Warning level messages displayed, use"--disable=all --enable=classes
+# --disable=W"
+# DEFAULT:  disable=
+# RATIONALE:
+# - maybe-no-member:  bi-modal functions confuse pylint type inference.
+# - no-member:  indirections in protobuf-generated code 
+# - protected-access: helpers use '_foo' of classes from generated code.
+# - redefined-builtin:  use of 'id', 'type', 'filter' args in API-bound funcs;
+#                       use of 'NotImplemented' to map HTTP response code.
+# - similarities:  'Bucket' and 'Key' define 'metageneration' and 'owner' with
+#                  identical implementation but different docstrings.
+# - star-args:  standard Python idioms for varargs:
+#                  ancestor = Key.from_path(*ancestor)
+disable =
+    maybe-no-member,
+    no-member,
+    protected-access,
+    redefined-builtin,
+    similarities,
+    star-args,
+
 
 [REPORTS]
-reports = no
+
+# Set the output format. Available formats are text, parseable, colorized, msvs
+# (visual studio) and html. You can also give a reporter class, eg
+# mypackage.mymodule.MyReporterClass.
+# DEFAULT:  output-format=text
+
+# Put messages in a separate file for each module / package specified on the
+# command line instead of printing them on stdout. Reports (if any) will be
+# written in a file name "pylint_global.[txt|html]".
+# DEFAULT:  files-output=no
+
+# Tells whether to display a full report or only the messages
+# DEFAULT:  reports=yes
+# RATIONALE:  run from Travis / tox, and don't need / want to parse output.
+reports=no
+
+# Python expression which should return a note less than 10 (10 is the highest
+# note). You have access to the variables errors warning, statement which
+# respectively contain the number of errors / warnings messages and the total
+# number of statements analyzed. This is used by the global evaluation report
+# (RP0004).
+# DEFAULT:  evaluation=10.0 - ((float(5 * error + warning + refactor + convention) / statement) * 10)
+
+# Add a comment according to your evaluation note. This is used by the global
+# evaluation report (RP0004).
+# DEFAULT:  comment=no
+
+# Template used to display messages. This is a python new-style format string
+# used to format the message information. See doc for all details
+#msg-template=
+
+
+[SIMILARITIES]
+
+# Minimum lines number of a similarity.
+# DEFAULT:  min-similarity-lines=4
+
+# Ignore comments when computing similarities.
+# DEFAULT:  ignore-comments=yes
+
+# Ignore docstrings when computing similarities.
+# DEFAULT:  ignore-docstrings=yes
+
+# Ignore imports when computing similarities.
+# DEFAULT:  ignore-imports=no
+
 
 [VARIABLES]
-dummy-variables-rgx = _$|dummy|^unused_
+
+# Tells whether we should check for unused import in __init__ files.
+# DEFAULT:  init-import=no
+
+# A regular expression matching the name of dummy variables (i.e. expectedly
+# not used).
+# DEFAULT:  dummy-variables-rgx=_$|dummy
+
+# List of additional names supposed to be defined in builtins. Remember that
+# you should avoid to define new builtins when possible.
+# DEFAULT:  additional-builtins=
+
+
+[LOGGING]
+
+# Logging modules to check that the string format arguments are in logging
+# function parameter format
+# DEFAULT:  logging-modules=logging
+
+
+[FORMAT]
+
+# Maximum number of characters on a single line.
+# DEFAULT:  max-line-length=80
+
+# Regexp for a line that is allowed to be longer than the limit.
+# DEFAULT:  ignore-long-lines=^\s*(# )?<?https?://\S+>?$
+
+# Allow the body of an if to be on the same line as the test if there is no
+# else.
+# DEFAULT:  single-line-if-stmt=no
+
+# List of optional constructs for which whitespace checking is disabled
+# DEFAULT:  no-space-check=trailing-comma,dict-separator
+# RATIONALE: pylint ignores whitespace checks around the
+#            constructs "dict-separator" (cases like {1:2}) and
+#            "trailing-comma" (cases like {1: 2, }).
+#            By setting "no-space-check" to empty whitespace checks will be
+#            enforced around both constructs.
+no-space-check =
+
+# Maximum number of lines in a module
+# DEFAULT:  max-module-lines=1000
+# RATIONALE:  API-mapping
+max-module-lines=1500
+
+# String used as indentation unit. This is usually " " (4 spaces) or "\t" (1
+# tab).
+# DEFAULT:  indent-string='    '
+
+# Number of spaces of indent required inside a hanging or continued line.
+# DEFAULT:  indent-after-paren=4
+
+
+[MISCELLANEOUS]
+
+# List of note tags to take in consideration, separated by a comma.
+# DEFAULT:  notes=FIXME,XXX,TODO
+
+
+[BASIC]
+
+# Required attributes for module, separated by a comma
+# DEFAULT:  required-attributes=
+
+# List of builtins function names that should not be used, separated by a comma
+# DEFAULT:  bad-functions=map,filter,apply,input,file
+
+# Good variable names which should always be accepted, separated by a comma
+# DEFAULT:  good-names=i,j,k,ex,Run,_
+# RATIONALE:  'pb' and 'id' have well-understood meainings in the code. 
+good-names = i, j, k, ex, Run, _,
+             pb,
+             id,
+
+# Bad variable names which should always be refused, separated by a comma
+# DEFAULT:  bad-names=foo,bar,baz,toto,tutu,tata
+
+# Colon-delimited sets of names that determine each other's naming style when
+# the name regexes allow several styles.
+# DEFAULT:  name-group=
+
+# Include a hint for the correct naming format with invalid-name
+# DEFAULT:  include-naming-hint=no
+
+# Regular expression matching correct function names
+# DEFAULT:  function-rgx=[a-z_][a-z0-9_]{2,30}$
+
+# Naming hint for function names
+# DEFAULT:  function-name-hint=[a-z_][a-z0-9_]{2,30}$
+
+# Regular expression matching correct variable names
+# DEFAULT:  variable-rgx=[a-z_][a-z0-9_]{2,30}$
+
+# Naming hint for variable names
+# DEFAULT:  variable-name-hint=[a-z_][a-z0-9_]{2,30}$
+
+# Regular expression matching correct constant names
+# DEFAULT:  const-rgx=(([A-Z_][A-Z0-9_]*)|(__.*__))$
+
+# Naming hint for constant names
+# DEFAULT:  const-name-hint=(([A-Z_][A-Z0-9_]*)|(__.*__))$
+
+# Regular expression matching correct attribute names
+# DEFAULT:  attr-rgx=[a-z_][a-z0-9_]{2,30}$
+
+# Naming hint for attribute names
+# DEFAULT:  attr-name-hint=[a-z_][a-z0-9_]{2,30}$
+
+# Regular expression matching correct argument names
+# DEFAULT:  argument-rgx=[a-z_][a-z0-9_]{2,30}$
+
+# Naming hint for argument names
+# DEFAULT:  argument-name-hint=[a-z_][a-z0-9_]{2,30}$
+
+# Regular expression matching correct class attribute names
+# DEFAULT:  class-attribute-rgx=([A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]{2,30}|(__.*__))$
+
+# Naming hint for class attribute names
+# DEFAULT:  class-attribute-name-hint=([A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]{2,30}|(__.*__))$
+
+# Regular expression matching correct inline iteration names
+# DEFAULT:  inlinevar-rgx=[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*$
+
+# Naming hint for inline iteration names
+# DEFAULT:  inlinevar-name-hint=[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*$
+
+# Regular expression matching correct class names
+# DEFAULT:  class-rgx=[A-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9]+$
+
+# Naming hint for class names
+# DEFAULT:  class-name-hint=[A-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9]+$
+
+# Regular expression matching correct module names
+# DEFAULT:  module-rgx=(([a-z_][a-z0-9_]*)|([A-Z][a-zA-Z0-9]+))$
+
+# Naming hint for module names
+# DEFAULT:  module-name-hint=(([a-z_][a-z0-9_]*)|([A-Z][a-zA-Z0-9]+))$
+
+# Regular expression matching correct method names
+# DEFAULT:  method-rgx=[a-z_][a-z0-9_]{2,30}$
+
+# Naming hint for method names
+# DEFAULT:  method-name-hint=[a-z_][a-z0-9_]{2,30}$
+
+# Regular expression which should only match function or class names that do
+# not require a docstring.
+# DEFAULT:  no-docstring-rgx=__.*__
+
+# Minimum line length for functions/classes that require docstrings, shorter
+# ones are exempt.
+# DEFAULT:  docstring-min-length=-1
+
+
+[TYPECHECK]
+
+# Tells whether missing members accessed in mixin class should be ignored. A
+# mixin class is detected if its name ends with "mixin" (case insensitive).
+# DEFAULT:  ignore-mixin-members=yes
+
+# List of module names for which member attributes should not be checked
+# (useful for modules/projects where namespaces are manipulated during runtime
+# and thus existing member attributes cannot be deduced by static analysis
+# DEFAULT:  ignored-modules=
+
+# List of classes names for which member attributes should not be checked
+# (useful for classes with attributes dynamically set).
+# DEFAULT:  ignored-classes=SQLObject
+
+# When zope mode is activated, add a predefined set of Zope acquired attributes
+# to generated-members.
+# DEFAULT:  zope=no
+
+# List of members which are set dynamically and missed by pylint inference
+# system, and so shouldn't trigger E0201 when accessed. Python regular
+# expressions are accepted.
+# DEFAULT:  generated-members=REQUEST,acl_users,aq_parent
+
+
+[IMPORTS]
+
+# Deprecated modules which should not be used, separated by a comma
+# DEFAULT:  deprecated-modules=regsub,TERMIOS,Bastion,rexec
+
+# Create a graph of every (i.e. internal and external) dependencies in the
+# given file (report RP0402 must not be disabled)
+# DEFAULT:  import-graph=
+
+# Create a graph of external dependencies in the given file (report RP0402 must
+# not be disabled)
+# DEFAULT:  ext-import-graph=
+
+# Create a graph of internal dependencies in the given file (report RP0402 must
+# not be disabled)
+# DEFAULT:  int-import-graph=
+
+
+[CLASSES]
+
+# List of interface methods to ignore, separated by a comma. This is used for
+# instance to not check methods defines in Zope's Interface base class.
+# DEFAULT:  ignore-iface-methods=isImplementedBy,deferred,extends,names,namesAndDescriptions,queryDescriptionFor,getBases,getDescriptionFor,getDoc,getName,getTaggedValue,getTaggedValueTags,isEqualOrExtendedBy,setTaggedValue,isImplementedByInstancesOf,adaptWith,is_implemented_by
+
+# List of method names used to declare (i.e. assign) instance attributes.
+# DEFAULT:  defining-attr-methods=__init__,__new__,setUp
+
+# List of valid names for the first argument in a class method.
+# DEFAULT:  valid-classmethod-first-arg=cls
+
+# List of valid names for the first argument in a metaclass class method.
+# DEFAULT:  valid-metaclass-classmethod-first-arg=mcs
+
+
+[DESIGN]
+
+# Maximum number of arguments for function / method
+# DEFAULT:  max-args=5
+# RATIONALE:  API-mapping
+max-args = 10
+
+# Argument names that match this expression will be ignored. Default to name
+# with leading underscore
+# DEFAULT:  ignored-argument-names=_.*
+
+# Maximum number of locals for function / method body
+# DEFAULT:  max-locals=15
+max-locals=20
+
+# Maximum number of return / yield for function / method body
+# DEFAULT:  max-returns=6
+
+# Maximum number of branch for function / method body
+# DEFAULT:  max-branches=12
+
+# Maximum number of statements in function / method body
+# DEFAULT:  max-statements=50
+
+# Maximum number of parents for a class (see R0901).
+# DEFAULT:  max-parents=7
+
+# Maximum number of attributes for a class (see R0902).
+# DEFAULT:  max-attributes=7
+# RATIONALE:  API mapping
+max-attributes=15
+
+# Minimum number of public methods for a class (see R0903).
+# DEFAULT:  min-public-methods=2
+# RATIONALE:  context mgrs may have *no* public methods
+min-public-methods=0
+
+# Maximum number of public methods for a class (see R0904).
+# DEFAULT:  max-public-methods=20
+# RATIONALE:  API mapping
+max-public-methods=40
+
+
+[EXCEPTIONS]
+
+# Exceptions that will emit a warning when being caught. Defaults to
+# "Exception"
+# DEFAULT:  overgeneral-exceptions=Exception