diff --git a/.flake8 b/.flake8
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..45ab656
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.flake8
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+[flake8]
+max-line-length=80
+ignore=E111,E114,E402
diff --git a/.pylintrc b/.pylintrc
deleted file mode 100644
index 413d66a..0000000
--- a/.pylintrc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,298 +0,0 @@
-# lint Python modules using external checkers.
-#
-# This is the main checker controling the other ones and the reports
-# generation. It is itself both a raw checker and an astng checker in order
-# to:
-# * handle message activation / deactivation at the module level
-# * handle some basic but necessary stats'data (number of classes, methods...)
-#
-[MASTER]
-
-# Specify a configuration file.
-#rcfile=
-
-# Python code to execute, usually for sys.path manipulation such as
-# pygtk.require().
-#init-hook=
-
-# Profiled execution.
-profile=no
-
-# Add <file or directory> to the black list. It should be a base name, not a
-# path. You may set this option multiple times.
-ignore=SVN
-
-# Pickle collected data for later comparisons.
-persistent=yes
-
-# Set the cache size for astng objects.
-cache-size=500
-
-# List of plugins (as comma separated values of python modules names) to load,
-# usually to register additional checkers.
-load-plugins=
-
-
-[MESSAGES CONTROL]
-
-# Enable only checker(s) with the given id(s). This option conflicts with the
-# disable-checker option
-#enable-checker=
-
-# Enable all checker(s) except those with the given id(s). This option
-# conflicts with the enable-checker option
-#disable-checker=
-
-# Enable all messages in the listed categories.
-#enable-msg-cat=
-
-# Disable all messages in the listed categories.
-#disable-msg-cat=
-
-# Enable the message(s) with the given id(s).
-enable=RP0004
-
-# Disable the message(s) with the given id(s).
-disable=C0326,R0903,R0912,R0913,R0914,R0915,W0141,C0111,C0103,W0603,W0703,R0911,C0301,C0302,R0902,R0904,W0142,W0212,E1101,E1103,R0201,W0201,W0122,W0232,RP0001,RP0003,RP0101,RP0002,RP0401,RP0701,RP0801,F0401,E0611,R0801,I0011
-
-[REPORTS]
-
-# set the output format. Available formats are text, parseable, colorized, msvs
-# (visual studio) and html
-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]".
-files-output=no
-
-# Tells whether to display a full report or only the messages
-reports=yes
-
-# 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
-# respectivly contain the number of errors / warnings messages and the total
-# number of statements analyzed. This is used by the global evaluation report
-# (R0004).
-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 (R0004).
-comment=no
-
-# checks for
-# * unused variables / imports
-# * undefined variables
-# * redefinition of variable from builtins or from an outer scope
-# * use of variable before assigment
-#
-[VARIABLES]
-
-# Tells whether we should check for unused import in __init__ files.
-init-import=no
-
-# A regular expression matching names used for dummy variables (i.e. not used).
-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.
-additional-builtins=
-
-
-# try to find bugs in the code using type inference
-#
-[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).
-ignore-mixin-members=yes
-
-# List of classes names for which member attributes should not be checked
-# (useful for classes with attributes dynamicaly set).
-ignored-classes=SQLObject
-
-# When zope mode is activated, consider the acquired-members option to ignore
-# access to some undefined attributes.
-zope=no
-
-# List of members which are usually get through zope's acquisition mecanism and
-# so shouldn't trigger E0201 when accessed (need zope=yes to be considered).
-acquired-members=REQUEST,acl_users,aq_parent
-
-
-# checks for :
-# * doc strings
-# * modules / classes / functions / methods / arguments / variables name
-# * number of arguments, local variables, branchs, returns and statements in
-# functions, methods
-# * required module attributes
-# * dangerous default values as arguments
-# * redefinition of function / method / class
-# * uses of the global statement
-#
-[BASIC]
-
-# Required attributes for module, separated by a comma
-required-attributes=
-
-# Regular expression which should only match functions or classes name which do
-# not require a docstring
-no-docstring-rgx=_main|__.*__
-
-# Regular expression which should only match correct module names
-module-rgx=(([a-z_][a-z0-9_]*)|([A-Z][a-zA-Z0-9]+))$
-
-# Regular expression which should only match correct module level names
-const-rgx=(([A-Z_][A-Z1-9_]*)|(__.*__))|(log)$
-
-# Regular expression which should only match correct class names
-class-rgx=[A-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9]+$
-
-# Regular expression which should only match correct function names
-function-rgx=[a-z_][a-z0-9_]{2,30}$
-
-# Regular expression which should only match correct method names
-method-rgx=[a-z_][a-z0-9_]{2,30}$
-
-# Regular expression which should only match correct instance attribute names
-attr-rgx=[a-z_][a-z0-9_]{2,30}$
-
-# Regular expression which should only match correct argument names
-argument-rgx=[a-z_][a-z0-9_]{2,30}$
-
-# Regular expression which should only match correct variable names
-variable-rgx=[a-z_][a-z0-9_]{2,30}$
-
-# Regular expression which should only match correct list comprehension /
-# generator expression variable names
-inlinevar-rgx=[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*$
-
-# Good variable names which should always be accepted, separated by a comma
-good-names=i,j,k,ex,Run,_,e,d1,d2,v,f,l,d
-
-# Bad variable names which should always be refused, separated by a comma
-bad-names=foo,bar,baz,toto,tutu,tata
-
-# List of builtins function names that should not be used, separated by a comma
-bad-functions=map,filter,apply,input
-
-
-# checks for sign of poor/misdesign:
-# * number of methods, attributes, local variables...
-# * size, complexity of functions, methods
-#
-[DESIGN]
-
-# Maximum number of arguments for function / method
-max-args=5
-
-# Maximum number of locals for function / method body
-max-locals=15
-
-# Maximum number of return / yield for function / method body
-max-returns=6
-
-# Maximum number of branch for function / method body
-max-branchs=12
-
-# Maximum number of statements in function / method body
-max-statements=50
-
-# Maximum number of parents for a class (see R0901).
-max-parents=7
-
-# Maximum number of attributes for a class (see R0902).
-max-attributes=20
-
-# Minimum number of public methods for a class (see R0903).
-min-public-methods=2
-
-# Maximum number of public methods for a class (see R0904).
-max-public-methods=30
-
-
-# checks for
-# * external modules dependencies
-# * relative / wildcard imports
-# * cyclic imports
-# * uses of deprecated modules
-#
-[IMPORTS]
-
-# Deprecated modules which should not be used, separated by a comma
-deprecated-modules=regsub,string,TERMIOS,Bastion,rexec
-
-# Create a graph of every (i.e. internal and external) dependencies in the
-# given file (report R0402 must not be disabled)
-import-graph=
-
-# Create a graph of external dependencies in the given file (report R0402 must
-# not be disabled)
-ext-import-graph=
-
-# Create a graph of internal dependencies in the given file (report R0402 must
-# not be disabled)
-int-import-graph=
-
-
-# checks for :
-# * methods without self as first argument
-# * overridden methods signature
-# * access only to existant members via self
-# * attributes not defined in the __init__ method
-# * supported interfaces implementation
-# * unreachable code
-#
-[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.
-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.
-defining-attr-methods=__init__,__new__,setUp
-
-
-# checks for similarities and duplicated code. This computation may be
-# memory / CPU intensive, so you should disable it if you experiments some
-# problems.
-#
-[SIMILARITIES]
-
-# Minimum lines number of a similarity.
-min-similarity-lines=4
-
-# Ignore comments when computing similarities.
-ignore-comments=yes
-
-# Ignore docstrings when computing similarities.
-ignore-docstrings=yes
-
-
-# checks for:
-# * warning notes in the code like FIXME, XXX
-# * PEP 263: source code with non ascii character but no encoding declaration
-#
-[MISCELLANEOUS]
-
-# List of note tags to take in consideration, separated by a comma.
-notes=FIXME,XXX,TODO
-
-
-# checks for :
-# * unauthorized constructions
-# * strict indentation
-# * line length
-# * use of <> instead of !=
-#
-[FORMAT]
-
-# Maximum number of characters on a single line.
-max-line-length=80
-
-# Maximum number of lines in a module
-max-module-lines=1000
-
-# String used as indentation unit. This is usually "    " (4 spaces) or "\t" (1
-# tab).  In repo it is 2 spaces.
-indent-string='  '
diff --git a/SUBMITTING_PATCHES.md b/SUBMITTING_PATCHES.md
index 085ae06..07f7661 100644
--- a/SUBMITTING_PATCHES.md
+++ b/SUBMITTING_PATCHES.md
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
  - Make small logical changes.
  - Provide a meaningful commit message.
- - Check for coding errors with pylint
+ - Check for coding errors and style nits with pyflakes and flake8
  - Make sure all code is under the Apache License, 2.0.
  - Publish your changes for review.
  - Make corrections if requested.
@@ -36,12 +36,32 @@
 probably need to split up your commit to finer grained pieces.
 
 
-## Check for coding errors with pylint
+## Check for coding errors and style nits with pyflakes and flake8
 
-Run pylint on changed modules using the provided configuration:
+### Coding errors
 
-    pylint --rcfile=.pylintrc file.py
+Run `pyflakes` on changed modules:
 
+    pyflakes file.py
+
+Ideally there should be no new errors or warnings introduced.
+
+### Style violations
+
+Run `flake8` on changes modules:
+
+    flake8 file.py
+
+Note that repo generally follows [Google's python style guide]
+(https://google.github.io/styleguide/pyguide.html) rather than [PEP 8]
+(https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0008/), so it's possible that
+the output of `flake8` will be quite noisy. It's not mandatory to
+avoid all warnings, but at least the maximum line length should be
+followed.
+
+If there are many occurrences of the same warning that cannot be
+avoided without going against the Google style guide, these may be
+suppressed in the included `.flake8` file.
 
 ## Check the license