These files are used by Configure to set things which Configure either can't or doesn't guess properly. Many of these hints files are from perl4. They may or may not work with perl5, but they are probably a good starting point. The following hints files have been tested with at least some version of perl5 and are probably reasonably close to being correct: aix.sh aux.sh bsdos.sh dec_osf.sh dgux.sh esix4.sh freebsd.sh hpux_9.sh irix_4.sh irix_5.sh irix_6.sh irix_6_2.sh isc.sh linux.sh machten_2.sh machten.sh ncr_tower.sh netbsd.sh next_3_2.sh sco_3.sh solaris_2.sh sunos_4_1.sh svr4.sh titanos.sh ultrix_4.sh unicos.sh utekv.sh The following hints files have not been tested with perl5: 3b1.sh altos486.sh apollo.sh dnix.sh dynix.sh fps.sh genix.sh greenhills.sh i386.sh isc_2.sh mips.sh mpc.sh opus.sh sco_2_3_0.sh sco_2_3_1.sh sco_2_3_2.sh sco_2_3_3.sh sco_2_3_4.sh stellar.sh sunos_4_0.sh ti1500.sh unisysdynix.sh uts.sh