diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index dc71356a..a3bb89a2 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,11 +1,6 @@
-*.log
-.DS_Store
+# please add general patterns to your global ignore list
+# see https://github.com/github/gitignore#readme
+
 /pkg
-/book
 /doc/api
-/doc/*.html
-.#*
-\#*
-.emacs*
-.redcar*
-Gemfile.lock
+/Gemfile.lock