diff --git a/linkcheck/checker/nntpurl.py b/linkcheck/checker/nntpurl.py
index 4e074586..07b5e87a 100644
--- a/linkcheck/checker/nntpurl.py
+++ b/linkcheck/checker/nntpurl.py
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ class NntpUrl (urlbase.UrlBase):
         later", are caught.
         """
         tries = 0
-        nntp = value = None
+        nntp = None
         while tries < 2:
             tries += 1
             try:
diff --git a/linkcheck/checker/urlbase.py b/linkcheck/checker/urlbase.py
index 784986e8..98ad60c5 100644
--- a/linkcheck/checker/urlbase.py
+++ b/linkcheck/checker/urlbase.py
@@ -433,8 +433,8 @@ class UrlBase (object):
             return
         # check for obfuscated IP address
         if iputil.is_obfuscated_ip(self.host):
-             ips = iputil.resolve_host(self.host)
-             if ips:
+            ips = iputil.resolve_host(self.host)
+            if ips:
                 self.add_warning(
                    _("URL %(url)s has obfuscated IP address %(ip)s") % \
                    {"url": self.base_url, "ip": ips.pop()},
diff --git a/linkcheck/configuration/__init__.py b/linkcheck/configuration/__init__.py
index dfdb69e4..4b6cd4d9 100644
--- a/linkcheck/configuration/__init__.py
+++ b/linkcheck/configuration/__init__.py
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ class Configuration (dict):
         """Make anchor configuration consistent."""
         if not self["warnings"]:
             self["warnings"] = True
-            from ..checker import Warnings
+            from ..checker.const import Warnings
             self["ignorewarnings"] = Warnings.keys()
         if 'url-anchor-not-found' in self["ignorewarnings"]:
             self["ignorewarnings"].remove('url-anchor-not-found')
@@ -432,9 +432,9 @@ def get_standard_config_files ():
             if not os.path.exists(userdir):
                 os.makedirs(userdir)
             shutil.copy(syspath, userpath)
-        except StandardError, msg:
+        except StandardError:
             log.warn(LOG_CHECK, "could not copy system config from %r to %r",
-                     syspath, userpath)
+                     syspath, userpath, traceback=True)
     return (syspath, userpath)
 
 
@@ -633,7 +633,7 @@ def add_kde_setting (key, value, data):
     elif key == "Proxy Config Script":
         data["autoconfig_url"] = value
     elif key == "httpProxy":
-       add_kde_proxy("http_proxy", value, data)
+        add_kde_proxy("http_proxy", value, data)
     elif key == "httpsProxy":
         add_kde_proxy("https_proxy", value, data)
     elif key == "ftpProxy":
diff --git a/linkcheck/httputil.py b/linkcheck/httputil.py
index ace317bc..0d389c46 100644
--- a/linkcheck/httputil.py
+++ b/linkcheck/httputil.py
@@ -71,9 +71,9 @@ if hasattr(httplib, 'HTTPS'):
     class HttpsWithGzipHandler (urllib2.HTTPSHandler):
         """Support gzip encoding."""
 
-        def http_open (self, req):
+        def https_open (self, req):
             """Send request and decode answer."""
-            return decode(urllib2.HTTPSHandler.http_open(self, req))
+            return decode(urllib2.HTTPSHandler.https_open(self, req))
 
 # end of urlutils.py routines
 ###########################################################################
diff --git a/linkchecker b/linkchecker
index a9516886..e63434af 100755
--- a/linkchecker
+++ b/linkchecker
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@ import os
 import pprint
 import socket
 import optparse
-
+import getpass
+# installs _() and _n() gettext functions into global namespace
 import linkcheck
 # override optparse gettext method with the one from linkcheck.init_i18n()
 optparse._ = _
@@ -657,7 +658,6 @@ if options.password:
               {"user": _username}
     else:
         msg = _("Enter LinkChecker HTTP/FTP password:")
-    import getpass
     _password = getpass.getpass(console.encode(msg))
     constructauth = True
 if options.pause is not None:
@@ -723,7 +723,6 @@ for entry in config["authentication"]:
         attrs["strpattern"] = attrs["pattern"].pattern
         msg = _("Enter LinkChecker password for user %(user)s" \
                 " at %(strpattern)s:") % attrs
-        import getpass
         entry["password"] = getpass.getpass(console.encode(msg))
 # now sanitize the configuration
 config.sanitize()