diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 6c53ccc3..b4933f4d 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -39,16 +39,19 @@ NEW IN WAF 1.9
 * API changes:
   - The minimum Python version required is Python 2.5
   - Add Task.get_cwd()
-  - Remove the duplicate split() functions from Utils
   - Remove the command called "update"
-  - Remove Utils.nogc
-  - Remove Configure.err_handler
-  - Remove TaskBase.attr() which was never used
-  - Remove Build.POST_BOTH which was never used
-  - Remove Task.dep_vars as it is never used (define Task.vars on instances if necessary)
+  - Remove unused variables and functions:
+    - TaskBase.attr()
+    - Build.POST_BOTH
+    - Options.platform
+    - Options.cmds
+    - Task.dep_vars (define Task.vars on instances if necessary)
+    - Utils.nogc
+    - Configure.err_handler
+    - All duplicate split() functions from Utils
   - Remove the unused attribute 'mac_resources', use 'mac_files' instead (see demos/mac_app)
   - Remove qt4 and kde4 from the default modules
-  - Refactored msvc.py
+  - Refactor msvc.py
   - Task.sig_vars, Task.sig_explit_deps and Task.sig_implicit_deps return None
   - Use relative paths in apply_incpaths by default (and absolute ones when paths cross drives)
   - Modify Utils.run_once so that it accepts a list of *args
diff --git a/waflib/Options.py b/waflib/Options.py
index 20df38d6..54971ac2 100644
--- a/waflib/Options.py
+++ b/waflib/Options.py
@@ -1,30 +1,21 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
 # encoding: utf-8
 # Scott Newton, 2005 (scottn)
-# Thomas Nagy, 2006-2010 (ita)
+# Thomas Nagy, 2006-2016 (ita)
 
 """
 Support for waf command-line options
 
-Provides default command-line options,
-as well as custom ones, used by the ``options`` wscript function.
-
+Provides default and command-line options, as well the command
+that reads the ``options`` wscript function.
 """
 
 import os, tempfile, optparse, sys, re
 from waflib import Logs, Utils, Context, Errors
 
-cmds = 'distclean configure build install clean uninstall check dist distcheck'.split()
-"""
-Constant representing the default waf commands displayed in::
-
-	$ waf --help
-
-"""
-
 options = {}
 """
-A dictionary representing the command-line options::
+A global dictionary representing the command-line options::
 
 	$ waf --foo=bar
 
@@ -32,18 +23,21 @@ A dictionary representing the command-line options::
 
 commands = []
 """
-List of commands to execute extracted from the command-line. This list is consumed during the execution, see :py:func:`waflib.Scripting.run_commands`.
+List of commands to execute extracted from the command-line. This list
+is consumed during the execution by :py:func:`waflib.Scripting.run_commands`.
 """
 
 envvars = []
 """
 List of environment variable declarations placed after the Waf executable name.
-These are detected by searching for "=" in the rest arguments.
+These are detected by searching for "=" in the remaining arguments.
+You probably do not want to use this.
 """
 
 lockfile = os.environ.get('WAFLOCK', '.lock-waf_%s_build' % sys.platform)
-platform = Utils.unversioned_sys_platform()
-
+"""
+Name of the lock file that marks a project as configured
+"""
 
 class opt_parser(optparse.OptionParser):
 	"""
@@ -133,7 +127,7 @@ class OptionsContext(Context.Context):
 
 		default_prefix = getattr(Context.g_module, 'default_prefix', os.environ.get('PREFIX'))
 		if not default_prefix:
-			if platform == 'win32':
+			if Utils.unversioned_sys_platform() == 'win32':
 				d = tempfile.gettempdir()
 				default_prefix = d[0].upper() + d[1:]
 				# win32 preserves the case, but gettempdir does not