diff --git a/pkgs/applications/misc/qgis/1.0.1-2.nix b/pkgs/applications/misc/qgis/1.0.1-2.nix
index d17f3ec7502f..142e3b65013c 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/misc/qgis/1.0.1-2.nix
+++ b/pkgs/applications/misc/qgis/1.0.1-2.nix
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 args: with args;
-let edf = composableDerivation.edf;
-    optionIncLib = name : attr : " -D${name}_INCLUDE_DIR=${__getAttr attr args}/incclude"
-                               + " -D${name}_LIBRARY=${__getAttr attr args}/lib "; # lib 64?
+let inherit (builtins) getAttr;
+    edf = composableDerivation.edf;
+    optionIncLib = name : attr : " -D${name}_INCLUDE_DIR=${getAttr attr args}/incclude"
+                               + " -D${name}_LIBRARY=${getAttr attr args}/lib "; # lib 64?
 in
 composableDerivation.composableDerivation {} {
 
diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/builder-defs/builder-defs.nix b/pkgs/build-support/builder-defs/builder-defs.nix
index 2956fa478bfe..17a49b69413f 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/builder-defs/builder-defs.nix
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/builder-defs/builder-defs.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 args: with args; with stringsWithDeps; with lib;
+let inherit (builtins) head tail trace; in
 (rec
 {
         inherit writeScript; 
@@ -316,8 +317,8 @@ args: with args; with stringsWithDeps; with lib;
         envAdder = envAdderInner "";
 
         envAdderList = l:  if l==[] then "" else 
-        "echo export ${__head l}='\"'\"\\\$${__head l}:${__head (__tail l)}\"'\"';\n" +
-                envAdderList (__tail (__tail l));
+        "echo export ${head l}='\"'\"\\\$${head l}:${head (tail l)}\"'\"';\n" +
+                envAdderList (tail (tail l));
 
         wrapEnv = cmd: env: "
                 mv \"${cmd}\" \"${cmd}-orig\";
@@ -350,8 +351,8 @@ args: with args; with stringsWithDeps; with lib;
                 echo '${toString (attrByPath ["propagatedBuildInputs"] [] args)}' >\$out/nix-support/propagated-build-inputs
         ") ["minInit" "defEnsureDir"];
 
-        /*debug = x:(__trace x x);
-        debugX = x:(__trace (__toXML x) x);*/
+        /*debug = x:(trace x x);
+        debugX = x:(trace (toXML x) x);*/
 
         replaceScriptVar = file: name: value: "sed -e 's`^${name}=.*`${name}='\\''${value}'\\''`' -i ${file}";
         replaceInScript = file: l: concatStringsSep "\n" ((pairMap (replaceScriptVar file) l));
diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/checker/default.nix b/pkgs/build-support/checker/default.nix
index 33321907125b..4f95c3b95eeb 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/checker/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/checker/default.nix
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ let
                        then ""
                        else checkAttrInclusion 
 			(s + "." + x) 
-			(__getAttr x a)
+			(builtins.getAttr x a)
 			(lib.attrByPath [x] null b)) 
 		(attrNames a)) ""
 	);
diff --git a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python-new/2.5/default.nix b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python-new/2.5/default.nix
index 97edf8992866..1e8917cc0096 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python-new/2.5/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python-new/2.5/default.nix
@@ -12,10 +12,11 @@
 
 p: # p = pkgs
 let 
+  inherit (builtins) isAttrs hasAttr;
   inherit (p) lib fetchurl stdenv getConfig;
   inherit (p.composableDerivation) composableDerivation;
   # withName prevents  nix-env -qa \* from aborting (pythonLibStub is a derivation but hasn't a name)
-  withName = lib.mapAttrs (n : v : if (__isAttrs v && (!__hasAttr "name" v)) then null else v);
+  withName = lib.mapAttrs (n : v : if (isAttrs v && (!hasAttr "name" v)) then null else v);
 in
   withName ( lib.fix ( t : { # t = this attrs
 
@@ -608,7 +609,7 @@ in
   };
 
   all = lib.filter (x:
-                   (__isAttrs x)
+                   (isAttrs x)
                 && ((lib.maybeAttr "libPython" false x) == t.version)
                 && (lib.maybeAttr "name" false x != false) # don't collect pythonLibStub etc
         ) (lib.flattenAttrs (removeAttrs t ["all"])); # nix is not yet lazy enough, so I've to remove all first
diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/tk/8.4.16.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/tk/8.4.16.nix
index 1f26db83f1b3..38b7ec857495 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/tk/8.4.16.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/tk/8.4.16.nix
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation {
     sha256 = "0cciavzd05bpm5yfppid0s0vsf8kabwia9620vgvi26sv1gjgwhb";
   };
   postInstall = ''
-    echo -e '#! /bin/sh \n $( readlink -f $( type -tP wish${__substring 0 3 version}) ) "$@"' >$out/bin/wish
+    echo -e '#! /bin/sh \n $( readlink -f $( type -tP wish${builtins.substring 0 3 version}) ) "$@"' >$out/bin/wish
     chmod a+x $out/bin/wish
   ''; 
   configureFlags="--with-tcl=${tcl}/lib";
diff --git a/pkgs/lib/debug.nix b/pkgs/lib/debug.nix
index a58539ee3c4d..18b5e1db9d42 100644
--- a/pkgs/lib/debug.nix
+++ b/pkgs/lib/debug.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
-let lib = import ./default.nix; in
+let lib = import ./default.nix;
+
+inherit (builtins) trace attrNamesToStr isAttrs isFunction isList head substring attrNames;
+
+in
 
 rec {
 
@@ -20,20 +24,20 @@ rec {
 
   
   # this can help debug your code as well - designed to not produce thousands of lines
-  traceShowVal = x : __trace (showVal x) x;
-  traceShowValMarked = str: x: __trace (str + showVal x) x;
-  attrNamesToStr = a : lib.concatStringsSep "; " (map (x : "${x}=") (__attrNames a));
+  traceShowVal = x : trace (showVal x) x;
+  traceShowValMarked = str: x: trace (str + showVal x) x;
+  attrNamesToStr = a : lib.concatStringsSep "; " (map (x : "${x}=") (attrNames a));
   showVal = x :
-      if __isAttrs x then
+      if isAttrs x then
           if x ? outPath then "x is a derivation, name ${if x ? name then x.name else "<no name>"}, { ${attrNamesToStr x} }"
           else "x is attr set { ${attrNamesToStr x} }"
-      else if __isFunction x then "x is a function"
+      else if isFunction x then "x is a function"
       else if x == [] then "x is an empty list"
-      else if __isList x then "x is a list, first item is : ${showVal (__head x)}"
+      else if isList x then "x is a list, first item is : ${showVal (head x)}"
       else if x == true then "x is boolean true"
       else if x == false then "x is boolean false"
       else if x == null then "x is null"
-      else "x is probably a string starting, starting characters: ${__substring 0 50 x}..";
+      else "x is probably a string starting, starting characters: ${substring 0 50 x}..";
   # trace the arguments passed to function and its result 
   traceCall  = n : f : a : let t = n2 : x : traceShowValMarked "${n} ${n2}:" x; in t "result" (f (t "arg 1" a));
   traceCall2 = n : f : a : b : let t = n2 : x : traceShowValMarked "${n} ${n2}:" x; in t "result" (f (t "arg 1" a) (t "arg 2" b));
diff --git a/pkgs/lib/misc.nix b/pkgs/lib/misc.nix
index d515158c00a8..a8f37ec277b4 100644
--- a/pkgs/lib/misc.nix
+++ b/pkgs/lib/misc.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
-let lib = import ./default.nix; in
+let lib = import ./default.nix;
+    inherit (builtins) isFunction hasAttr getAttr head tail isList isAttrs attrNames;
+
+in
 
 with import ./lists.nix;
 with import ./attrsets.nix;
@@ -53,7 +56,7 @@ rec {
           f :        # the function applied to the arguments
           initial :  # you pass attrs, the functions below are passing a function taking the fix argument
     let
-        takeFixed = if (__isFunction initial) then initial else (fixed : initial); # transform initial to an expression always taking the fixed argument
+        takeFixed = if (isFunction initial) then initial else (fixed : initial); # transform initial to an expression always taking the fixed argument
         tidy = args : 
             let # apply all functions given in "applyPreTidy" in sequence
                 applyPreTidyFun = fold ( n : a : x : n ( a x ) ) lib.id (maybeAttr "applyPreTidy" [] args);
@@ -61,9 +64,9 @@ rec {
         fun = n : x :
              let newArgs = fixed :
                      let args = takeFixed fixed; 
-                         mergeFun = __getAttr n args;
-                     in if __isAttrs x then (mergeFun args x)
-                        else assert __isFunction x;
+                         mergeFun = getAttr n args;
+                     in if isAttrs x then (mergeFun args x)
+                        else assert isFunction x;
                              mergeFun args (x ( args // { inherit fixed; }));
              in overridableDelayableArgs f newArgs;
     in
@@ -302,15 +305,15 @@ rec {
     fold lib.mergeAttrs {} [
       x y
       (mapAttrs ( a : v : # merge special names using given functions
-          if (__hasAttr a x)
-             then if (__hasAttr a y)
-               then v (__getAttr a x) (__getAttr a y) # both have attr, use merge func
-               else (__getAttr a x) # only x has attr
-             else (__getAttr a y) # only y has attr)
+          if (hasAttr a x)
+             then if (hasAttr a y)
+               then v (getAttr a x) (getAttr a y) # both have attr, use merge func
+               else (getAttr a x) # only x has attr
+             else (getAttr a y) # only y has attr)
           ) (removeAttrs mergeAttrBy2
                          # don't merge attrs which are neither in x nor y
-                         (filter (a : (! __hasAttr a x) && (! __hasAttr a y) )
-                                 (__attrNames mergeAttrBy2))
+                         (filter (a : (! hasAttr a x) && (! hasAttr a y) )
+                                 (attrNames mergeAttrBy2))
             )
       )
     ];
@@ -326,8 +329,8 @@ rec {
 
   # pick attrs subset_attr_names and apply f 
   subsetmap = f : attrs : subset_attr_names : 
-    listToAttrs (fold ( attr : r : if __hasAttr attr attrs
-          then r ++ [ ( nameValuePair attr ( f (__getAttr attr attrs) ) ) ] else r ) []
+    listToAttrs (fold ( attr : r : if hasAttr attr attrs
+          then r ++ [ ( nameValuePair attr ( f (getAttr attr attrs) ) ) ] else r ) []
       subset_attr_names );
 
   # prepareDerivationArgs tries to make writing configurable derivations easier
@@ -371,7 +374,7 @@ rec {
                           // args2.cfg;
         opts = flattenAttrs (mapAttrs (a : v :
                 let v2 = if (v ? set || v ? unset) then v else { set = v; };
-                    n = if (__getAttr (flagName a) cfgWithDefaults) then "set" else "unset";
+                    n = if (getAttr (flagName a) cfgWithDefaults) then "set" else "unset";
                     attr = maybeAttr n {} v2; in
                 if (maybeAttr "assertion" true attr)
                   then attr
@@ -387,11 +390,11 @@ rec {
     let eqListStrict = a : b :
       if (a == []) != (b == []) then false
       else if a == [] then true
-      else eqStrict (__head a) (__head b) && eqListStrict (__tail a) (__tail b);
+      else eqStrict (head a) (head b) && eqListStrict (tail a) (tail b);
     in
-    if __isList a && __isList b then eqListStrict a b
-    else if __isAttrs a && isAttrs b then
-      (eqListStrict (__attrNames a) (__attrNames b))
+    if isList a && isList b then eqListStrict a b
+    else if isAttrs a && isAttrs b then
+      (eqListStrict (attrNames a) (attrNames b))
       && (eqListStrict (lib.attrValues a) (lib.attrValues b))
     else a == b; # FIXME !
 }
diff --git a/pkgs/lib/strings.nix b/pkgs/lib/strings.nix
index 9c045e9ae53b..c1ce5d097577 100644
--- a/pkgs/lib/strings.nix
+++ b/pkgs/lib/strings.nix
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 /* String manipulation functions. */
 
-let lib = import ./default.nix; in
+let lib = import ./default.nix;
+
+inherit (builtins) substring add sub stringLength;
+
+in
 
 rec {
   inherit (builtins) stringLength substring head tail lessThan sub;
@@ -86,10 +90,10 @@ rec {
       if s == "" then "" else
       let takeTillSlash = left : c : s :
           if left == 0 then s
-          else if (__substring left 1 s == "/") then
-                  (__substring (__add left 1) (__sub c 1) s)
-          else takeTillSlash (__sub left 1) (__add c 1) s; in
-      takeTillSlash (__sub (__stringLength s) 1) 1 s;
+          else if (substring left 1 s == "/") then
+                  (substring (add left 1) (sub c 1) s)
+          else takeTillSlash (sub left 1) (add c 1) s; in
+      takeTillSlash (sub (stringLength s) 1) 1 s;
 
   # Compares strings not requiring context equality
   # Obviously, a workaround but works on all Nix versions
diff --git a/pkgs/lib/tests.nix b/pkgs/lib/tests.nix
index 395b4b3e17b3..95933cbe4b7b 100644
--- a/pkgs/lib/tests.nix
+++ b/pkgs/lib/tests.nix
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+let inherit (builtins) add; in
 with import ./default.nix;
 
 runTests {
@@ -69,14 +70,14 @@ runTests {
           res4 = let x = defaultOverridableDelayableArgs id { a = 7; };
                 in (x.merge) ( x: { b = 10; });
           res5 = let x = defaultOverridableDelayableArgs id { a = 7; };
-                in (x.merge) ( x: { a = __add x.a 3; });
-          res6 = let x = defaultOverridableDelayableArgs id { a = 7; mergeAttrBy = { a = __add; }; };
+                in (x.merge) ( x: { a = add x.a 3; });
+          res6 = let x = defaultOverridableDelayableArgs id { a = 7; mergeAttrBy = { a = add; }; };
                      y = x.merge {};
                 in (y.merge) { a = 10; };
 
           resRem7 = res6.replace (a : removeAttrs a ["a"]);
 
-          resReplace6 = let x = defaultOverridableDelayableArgs id { a = 7; mergeAttrBy = { a = __add; }; };
+          resReplace6 = let x = defaultOverridableDelayableArgs id { a = 7; mergeAttrBy = { a = add; }; };
                             x2 = x.merge { a = 20; }; # now we have 27
                         in (x2.replace) { a = 10; }; # and override the value by 10
 
diff --git a/pkgs/misc/ghc68executables/nix-repository-manager.nix b/pkgs/misc/ghc68executables/nix-repository-manager.nix
index f72222bb3c3b..63dfb12a5c0d 100644
--- a/pkgs/misc/ghc68executables/nix-repository-manager.nix
+++ b/pkgs/misc/ghc68executables/nix-repository-manager.nix
@@ -12,8 +12,9 @@
 
 args: with args; with args.lib;
 let 
+  inherit (builtins) getAttr attrNames;
   toConfigLine = name : set : 
-    "[(\"name\",\"${name}\")," + ( concatStringsSep "," (map (a: "(\"${a}\",\"${__getAttr a set}\")" ) (__attrNames set)))+"]";
+    "[(\"name\",\"${name}\")," + ( concatStringsSep "," (map (a: "(\"${a}\",\"${getAttr a set}\")" ) (attrNames set)))+"]";
   config = pkgs.writeText "nix-repository-manager_config"
         (bleedingEdgeRepos.managedRepoDir+"\n" +
         concatStringsSep "\n" (mapRecordFlatten toConfigLine (bleedingEdgeRepos.repos)));
diff --git a/pkgs/misc/tex/nix/default.nix b/pkgs/misc/tex/nix/default.nix
index 5252e7a11eba..2fb50bf70237 100644
--- a/pkgs/misc/tex/nix/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/misc/tex/nix/default.nix
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ rec {
       inherit searchRelativeTo;
 
       # Forces rebuilds.
-      hack = __currentTime;
+      hack = builtins.currentTime;
     };
 
 
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
index be4cf5bc07f9..c6678e3f78da 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
@@ -1794,11 +1794,11 @@ let
       libraries =
         # core_libs  distributed with this ghc version
         (lib.flattenAttrs ghcsAndLibs.ghc68.core_libs)
-        # (map ( a : __getAttr a ghcsAndLibs.ghc68.core_libs ) [ "cabal" "mtl" "base"  ]
+        # (map ( a : builtins.getAttr a ghcsAndLibs.ghc68.core_libs ) [ "cabal" "mtl" "base"  ]
 
         # some extra libs
            ++  (lib.flattenAttrs (ghc68extraLibs ghcsAndLibs.ghc68) );
-        # ++ map ( a : __getAttr a (ghc68extraLibs ghcsAndLibs.ghc68 ) ) [ "mtl" "parsec" ... ]
+        # ++ map ( a : builtins.getAttr a (ghc68extraLibs ghcsAndLibs.ghc68 ) ) [ "mtl" "parsec" ... ]
       inherit ghc;
   };