diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 9a476ffa0d11..e9cb034c107e 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,25 +1,7 @@
-/applied_patches
-/Linux*Env.Set*
-/bootstrap
-/makefile.mk
-/solver
-*.orig
-*.rej
-*.~*~
-*.vpj
-*.vpw
-*.bak
-/autom4te.cache
-/config.log
-/config.parms
-/config.status
-/configure
-/set_soenv
-warn
-.svn
-CVS
-.hg
-.hgignore
+# backup and temporary files
+*~
+.*.sw[op]
+
 # the build directories
 /*/unxlng??
 /*/unxlng??.pro