python 2.7 - About example code from google

Question

Why is this done

uri = urlparse(self.request.uri)
if uri.query:
    query = parse_qs(uri.query)
    try:
        query = query['query'][0]
    except KeyError, err:
        query = ''

And not simply this

query = self.request.get('query')

? What will the difference be between to two code blocks?

Source. https://code.google.com/p/google-app-engine-samples/source/browse/trunk/search/python/search_demo.py?r=157

Answer 1

Waitting for answers