diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index dd06a376eff..cf449ea4f76 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,5 +1,16 @@
 # Local files generated by IDEs
+.vs/*
 .vscode/*
+~AutoRecover.*
+*.sln
+*.vcxproj*
+scripts/__pycache__/*
+src/goto-analyzer/taint_driver_scripts/.idea/*
+/*.config
+/*.creator
+/*.creator.user
+/*.files
+/*.includes
 
 # compilation files
 *.lo
diff --git a/src/util/irep_hash.h b/src/util/irep_hash.h
index 1674caaf906..b0d24221ff3 100644
--- a/src/util/irep_hash.h
+++ b/src/util/irep_hash.h
@@ -148,6 +148,8 @@ inline std::size_t basic_hash_finalize(
   return h1;
 }
 
+// Boost uses the symbol hash_combine, if you're getting problems here then
+//  you've probably included a Boost header after this one
 #define hash_combine(h1, h2) \
   basic_hash_combine<sizeof(std::size_t)*8>(h1, h2)
 #define hash_finalize(h1, len) \
diff --git a/src/util/json.h b/src/util/json.h
index 1c817e2c78a..c6ddd1b1d19 100644
--- a/src/util/json.h
+++ b/src/util/json.h
@@ -147,13 +147,13 @@ class json_arrayt:public jsont
   jsont &push_back(const jsont &json)
   {
     array.push_back(json);
-    return static_cast<jsont &>(array.back());
+    return array.back();
   }
 
   jsont &push_back()
   {
     array.push_back(jsont());
-    return static_cast<jsont &>(array.back());
+    return array.back();
   }
 };