diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 4118ad55..0bfddb5d 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -20,3 +20,4 @@ gallery/backup
 .lock*
 build/*
 
+.DS_Store
diff --git a/MainMenuCommon.xml b/MainMenuCommon.xml
index 4b7fd1ce..04a54f79 100644
--- a/MainMenuCommon.xml
+++ b/MainMenuCommon.xml
@@ -49,9 +49,9 @@ import qlibutils; qlibutils.open_hda_dirs()]]>
 			<separatorItem />
 
 			<scriptItem id="h.ql_browse_HIH_root">
-				<label>$HIH: User Config Files...</label>
+				<label>$HOUDINI_USER_PREF_DIR: User Config Files...</label>
 				<scriptCode><![CDATA[
-import qlibutils; qlibutils.open_dir(env="HIH")]]>
+import qlibutils; qlibutils.open_dir(env="HOUDINI_USER_PREF_DIR")]]>
 				</scriptCode>
 			</scriptItem>
 
diff --git a/config/README.txt b/config/README.txt
index 04663b9c..613700b2 100644
--- a/config/README.txt
+++ b/config/README.txt
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ Configuration-related files
 install location:
 
 	$HOME/houdiniXX.X/config
-	$HIH/config
+	$HOUDINI_USER_PREF_DIR/config
 
 
 
diff --git a/help/qlib/mainmenu/index.txt b/help/qlib/mainmenu/index.txt
index 0589b0d4..e42219d0 100644
--- a/help/qlib/mainmenu/index.txt
+++ b/help/qlib/mainmenu/index.txt
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ Open in File Browser:
             Opens the folder(s) that contain the definitions
             of the currently selected HDAs or complied plug-in DSOs (DLLs).
 
-        $HIH: User Config Files...:
+        $HOUDINI_USER_PREF_DIR: User Config Files...:
             Opens the user's preferences folder
             (usually called _houdiniXX.X_).
         
diff --git a/houdini.env_linux b/houdini.env
similarity index 77%
rename from houdini.env_linux
rename to houdini.env
index 2266d4e0..09253c12 100644
--- a/houdini.env_linux
+++ b/houdini.env
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@
 #
 
 # QLIB variable should point to the downloaded and extracted qLib package
-# ($HIH is the $HOME/houdiniXX.X folder)
+# ($HOUDINI_USER_PREF_DIR is the $HOME/houdiniXX.X folder)
 #
-QLIB=$HIH/qLib-dev
+QLIB=$HOUDINI_USER_PREF_DIR/qLib-master
 QOTL=$QLIB/otls
 
 HOUDINI_OTLSCAN_PATH = $QOTL/base:$QOTL/future:$QOTL/experimental:$HOUDINI_OTLSCAN_PATH:&
diff --git a/houdini.env_windows b/houdini.env_windows
deleted file mode 100644
index a8eb7c19..00000000
--- a/houdini.env_windows
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
-# houdini.env
-# ===========
-#
-# example snippet (linux)
-#
-#
-#
-
-# QLIB variable should point to the downloaded and extracted qLib package
-# ($HIH is the $HOME/houdiniXX.X folder)
-#
-QLIB=$HIH/qLib-dev
-QOTL=$QLIB/otls
-
-HOUDINI_OTLSCAN_PATH = $QOTL/base;$QOTL/future;$QOTL/experimental;$HOUDINI_OTLSCAN_PATH;&
-HOUDINI_PATH = $QLIB;&
-
-# alternatively, you can try this --
-# HOUDINI_PATH = $QLIB;$HOUDINI_PATH;&
diff --git a/qLib_package_linux.json b/qLib_package.json
similarity index 88%
rename from qLib_package_linux.json
rename to qLib_package.json
index eec33900..fab1e978 100644
--- a/qLib_package_linux.json
+++ b/qLib_package.json
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
     "env": [
         {
-            "QLIB": "$HIH/qLib-master"
+            "QLIB": "$HOUDINI_USER_PREF_DIR/qLib-master"
         },
         {
             "QOTL": "$QLIB/otls"
diff --git a/qLib_package_windows.json b/qLib_package_windows.json
deleted file mode 100644
index f0243ecf..00000000
--- a/qLib_package_windows.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,18 +0,0 @@
-{
-    "recommends": "houdini_version >= '17.5.321'",
-
-    "env": [
-        {
-            "QLIB": "$HIH/qLib-master"
-        },
-        {
-            "QOTL": "$QLIB/otls"
-        },
-        {
-            "HOUDINI_OTLSCAN_PATH": "$QOTL/base;$QOTL/future;$QOTL/experimental;$HOUDINI_OTLSCAN_PATH"
-        }
-    ],
-    
-    "path": "$QLIB"
-}
-
diff --git a/scripts/OnCreated.py_ b/scripts/OnCreated.py_
index 1af2e076..9da661c1 100644
--- a/scripts/OnCreated.py_
+++ b/scripts/OnCreated.py_
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 		@brief		Automatic coloring of newly created nodes.
 
-		Location: $HIH/scripts/
+		Location: $HOUDINI_USER_PREF_DIR/scripts/
 
 		Note: this script is automatically reloaded on each node creation!
 
diff --git a/scripts/python/qlibutils.py b/scripts/python/qlibutils.py
index 647a0233..b9f6e56c 100644
--- a/scripts/python/qlibutils.py
+++ b/scripts/python/qlibutils.py
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ def open_dir(dir="", env=None):
 
     if oss and cmd:
         statmsg("(%s) %s %s" % (oss, cmd, dir, ) )
-        r = subprocess.call([cmd, dir])
+        r = subprocess.call(' '.join([cmd, dir]), shell=True)
         if r!=0:
             statmsg("(%s) FAILED: %s %s" % (oss, cmd, dir, ), warn=True)