diff --git a/lib/puppet/reference/configuration.rb b/lib/puppet/reference/configuration.rb
index 18efb6fe7..c17151e7d 100644
--- a/lib/puppet/reference/configuration.rb
+++ b/lib/puppet/reference/configuration.rb
@@ -1,69 +1,69 @@
 config = Puppet::Util::Reference.newreference(:configuration, :depth => 1, :doc => "A reference for all configuration parameters") do
   docs = {}
   Puppet.settings.each do |name, object|
     docs[name] = object
   end
 
   str = ""
   docs.sort { |a, b|
     a[0].to_s <=> b[0].to_s
   }.each do |name, object|
     # Make each name an anchor
     header = name.to_s
-    str += h(header, 3)
+    str << h(header, 3)
 
     # Print the doc string itself
     begin
-      str += object.desc.gsub(/\n/, " ")
+      str << object.desc.gsub(/\n/, " ")
     rescue => detail
       puts detail.backtrace
       puts detail
     end
-    str += "\n\n"
+    str << "\n\n"
 
     # Now print the data about the item.
-    str += ""
+    str << ""
     val = object.default
     if name.to_s == "vardir"
       val = "/var/lib/puppet"
     elsif name.to_s == "confdir"
       val = "/etc/puppet"
     end
 
     # Leave out the section information; it was apparently confusing people.
-    #str += "- **Section**: #{object.section}\n"
+    #str << "- **Section**: #{object.section}\n"
     unless val == ""
-      str += "- *Default*: #{val}\n"
+      str << "- *Default*: #{val}\n"
     end
-    str += "\n"
+    str << "\n"
   end
 
   return str
 end
 
 config.header = <<EOT
 ## Configuration Settings
 
 * Each of these settings can be specified in `puppet.conf` or on the
   command line.
 * When using boolean settings on the command line, use `--setting` and
   `--no-setting` instead of `--setting (true|false)`.
 * Settings can be interpolated as `$variables` in other settings; `$environment`
   is special, in that puppet master will interpolate each agent node's
   environment instead of its own.
 * Multiple values should be specified as comma-separated lists; multiple
   directories should be separated with the system path separator (usually
   a colon).
 * Settings that take a single file or directory can optionally set the owner,
   group, and mode for their value: `rundir = $vardir/run { owner = puppet,
   group = puppet, mode = 644 }`
 * The Puppet executables will ignore any setting that isn't relevant to
   their function.
 
 See the [configuration guide][confguide] for more details.
 
 [confguide]: http://docs.puppetlabs.com/guides/configuring.html
 
 * * *
 
 EOT
diff --git a/lib/puppet/reference/indirection.rb b/lib/puppet/reference/indirection.rb
index e5b076508..a30a9a179 100644
--- a/lib/puppet/reference/indirection.rb
+++ b/lib/puppet/reference/indirection.rb
@@ -1,33 +1,33 @@
 require 'puppet/indirector/indirection'
 require 'puppet/util/checksums'
 require 'puppet/file_serving/content'
 require 'puppet/file_serving/metadata'
 
 reference = Puppet::Util::Reference.newreference :indirection, :doc => "Indirection types and their terminus classes" do
   text = ""
   Puppet::Indirector::Indirection.instances.sort { |a,b| a.to_s <=> b.to_s }.each do |indirection|
     ind = Puppet::Indirector::Indirection.instance(indirection)
     name = indirection.to_s.capitalize
-    text += "## " + indirection.to_s + "\n\n"
+    text << "## " + indirection.to_s + "\n\n"
 
-    text += ind.doc + "\n\n"
+    text << ind.doc + "\n\n"
 
     Puppet::Indirector::Terminus.terminus_classes(ind.name).sort { |a,b| a.to_s <=> b.to_s }.each do |terminus|
       text += "### " + terminus.to_s + "\n\n"
 
       term_class = Puppet::Indirector::Terminus.terminus_class(ind.name, terminus)
 
       text += Puppet::Util::Docs.scrub(term_class.doc) + "\n\n"
     end
   end
 
   text
 end
 
 reference.header = "This is the list of all indirections, their associated terminus classes, and how you select between them.
 
 In general, the appropriate terminus class is selected by the application for you (e.g., `puppet agent` would always use the `rest`
 terminus for most of its indirected classes), but some classes are tunable via normal settings.  These will have `terminus setting` documentation listed with them.
 
 
 "
diff --git a/lib/puppet/reference/network.rb b/lib/puppet/reference/network.rb
index fda7931fb..7efa7273d 100644
--- a/lib/puppet/reference/network.rb
+++ b/lib/puppet/reference/network.rb
@@ -1,39 +1,39 @@
 require 'puppet/network/handler'
 
 network = Puppet::Util::Reference.newreference :network, :depth => 2, :doc => "Available network handlers and clients" do
   ret = ""
   Puppet::Network::Handler.subclasses.sort { |a,b| a.to_s <=> b.to_s }.each do |name|
     handler = Puppet::Network::Handler.handler(name)
 
     next if ! handler.doc or handler.doc == ""
 
     interface = handler.interface
 
-    ret += h(name, 2)
-
-    ret += scrub(handler.doc)
-    ret += "\n\n"
-    ret += option(:prefix, interface.prefix)
-    ret += option(:side, handler.side.to_s.capitalize)
-    ret += option(:methods, interface.methods.collect { |ary| ary[0] }.join(", ") )
-    ret += "\n\n"
+    ret << h(name, 2)
+
+    ret << scrub(handler.doc)
+    ret << "\n\n"
+    ret << option(:prefix, interface.prefix)
+    ret << option(:side, handler.side.to_s.capitalize)
+    ret << option(:methods, interface.methods.collect { |ary| ary[0] }.join(", ") )
+    ret << "\n\n"
   end
 
   ret
 end
 
 network.header = "
 This is a list of all Puppet network interfaces.  Each interface is
 implemented in the form of a client and a handler; the handler is loaded
 on the server, and the client knows how to call the handler's methods
 appropriately.
 
 Most handlers are meant to be started on the server, usually within
 `puppet master`, and the clients are mostly started on the client,
 usually within `puppet agent`.
 
 You can find the server-side handler for each interface at
 `puppet/network/handler/<name>.rb` and the client class at
 `puppet/network/client/<name>.rb`.
 
 "
diff --git a/lib/puppet/reference/providers.rb b/lib/puppet/reference/providers.rb
index c85ad23ab..0e77e484f 100644
--- a/lib/puppet/reference/providers.rb
+++ b/lib/puppet/reference/providers.rb
@@ -1,123 +1,123 @@
 # This doesn't get stored in trac, since it changes every time.
 providers = Puppet::Util::Reference.newreference :providers, :title => "Provider Suitability Report", :depth => 1, :dynamic => true, :doc => "Which providers are valid for this machine" do
   types = []
   Puppet::Type.loadall
   Puppet::Type.eachtype do |klass|
     next unless klass.providers.length > 0
     types << klass
   end
   types.sort! { |a,b| a.name.to_s <=> b.name.to_s }
 
   command_line = Puppet::Util::CommandLine.new
   types.reject! { |type| ! command_line.args.include?(type.name.to_s) } unless command_line.args.empty?
 
   ret = "Details about this host:\n\n"
 
   # Throw some facts in there, so we know where the report is from.
   ["Ruby Version", "Puppet Version", "Operating System", "Operating System Release"].each do |label|
     name = label.gsub(/\s+/, '')
     value = Facter.value(name)
-    ret += option(label, value)
+    ret << option(label, value)
   end
-  ret += "\n"
+  ret << "\n"
 
   count = 1
 
   # Produce output for each type.
   types.each do |type|
     features = type.features
-    ret += "\n" # add a trailing newline
+    ret << "\n" # add a trailing newline
 
     # Now build up a table of provider suitability.
     headers = %w{Provider Suitable?} + features.collect { |f| f.to_s }.sort
 
     table_data = {}
 
     functional = false
     notes = []
     begin
       default = type.defaultprovider.name
     rescue Puppet::DevError
       default = "none"
     end
     type.providers.sort { |a,b| a.to_s <=> b.to_s }.each do |pname|
       data = []
       table_data[pname] = data
       provider = type.provider(pname)
 
       # Add the suitability note
       if missing = provider.suitable?(false) and missing.empty?
         data << "*X*"
         suit = true
         functional = true
       else
         data << "[#{count}]_" # A pointer to the appropriate footnote
         suit = false
       end
 
       # Add a footnote with the details about why this provider is unsuitable, if that's the case
       unless suit
         details = ".. [#{count}]\n"
         missing.each do |test, values|
           case test
           when :exists
-            details += "  - Missing files #{values.join(", ")}\n"
+            details << "  - Missing files #{values.join(", ")}\n"
           when :variable
             values.each do |name, facts|
               if Puppet.settings.valid?(name)
-                details += "  - Setting #{name} (currently #{Puppet.settings.value(name).inspect}) not in list #{facts.join(", ")}\n"
+                details << "  - Setting #{name} (currently #{Puppet.settings.value(name).inspect}) not in list #{facts.join(", ")}\n"
               else
-                details += "  - Fact #{name} (currently #{Facter.value(name).inspect}) not in list #{facts.join(", ")}\n"
+                details << "  - Fact #{name} (currently #{Facter.value(name).inspect}) not in list #{facts.join(", ")}\n"
               end
             end
           when :true
-            details += "  - Got #{values} true tests that should have been false\n"
+            details << "  - Got #{values} true tests that should have been false\n"
           when :false
-            details += "  - Got #{values} false tests that should have been true\n"
+            details << "  - Got #{values} false tests that should have been true\n"
           when :feature
-            details += "  - Missing features #{values.collect { |f| f.to_s }.join(",")}\n"
+            details << "  - Missing features #{values.collect { |f| f.to_s }.join(",")}\n"
           end
         end
         notes << details
 
         count += 1
       end
 
       # Add a note for every feature
       features.each do |feature|
         if provider.features.include?(feature)
           data << "*X*"
         else
           data << ""
         end
       end
     end
 
-    ret += h(type.name.to_s + "_", 2)
+    ret << h(type.name.to_s + "_", 2)
 
-    ret += "[#{type.name}](#{"http://docs.puppetlabs.com/references/stable/type.html##{type.name}"})\n\n"
-    ret += option("Default provider", default)
-    ret += doctable(headers, table_data)
+    ret << "[#{type.name}](#{"http://docs.puppetlabs.com/references/stable/type.html##{type.name}"})\n\n"
+    ret << option("Default provider", default)
+    ret << doctable(headers, table_data)
 
     notes.each do |note|
-      ret += note + "\n"
+      ret << note + "\n"
     end
 
-    ret += "\n"
+    ret << "\n"
   end
 
-  ret += "\n"
+  ret << "\n"
 
   ret
 end
 providers.header = "
 Puppet resource types are usually backed by multiple implementations called `providers`,
 which handle variance between platforms and tools.
 
 Different providers are suitable or unsuitable on different platforms based on things
 like the presence of a given tool.
 
 Here are all of the provider-backed types and their different providers.  Any unmentioned
 types do not use providers yet.
 
 "
diff --git a/lib/puppet/reference/type.rb b/lib/puppet/reference/type.rb
index b423387e9..635d84249 100644
--- a/lib/puppet/reference/type.rb
+++ b/lib/puppet/reference/type.rb
@@ -1,113 +1,113 @@
 type = Puppet::Util::Reference.newreference :type, :doc => "All Puppet resource types and all their details" do
   types = {}
   Puppet::Type.loadall
 
   Puppet::Type.eachtype { |type|
     next if type.name == :puppet
     next if type.name == :component
     next if type.name == :whit
     types[type.name] = type
   }
 
   str = %{
 
 ## Resource Types
 
 - The *namevar* is the parameter used to uniquely identify a type instance.
   This is the parameter that gets assigned when a string is provided before
   the colon in a type declaration.  In general, only developers will need to
   worry about which parameter is the `namevar`.
 
   In the following code:
 
       file { "/etc/passwd":
         owner => root,
         group => root,
         mode => 644
       }
 
   `/etc/passwd` is considered the title of the file object (used for things like
   dependency handling), and because `path` is the namevar for `file`, that
   string is assigned to the `path` parameter.
 
 - *Parameters* determine the specific configuration of the instance.  They either
   directly modify the system (internally, these are called properties) or they affect
   how the instance behaves (e.g., adding a search path for `exec` instances or determining recursion on `file` instances).
 
 - *Providers* provide low-level functionality for a given resource type.  This is
   usually in the form of calling out to external commands.
 
   When required binaries are specified for providers, fully qualifed paths
   indicate that the binary must exist at that specific path and unqualified
   binaries indicate that Puppet will search for the binary using the shell
   path.
 
 - *Features* are abilities that some providers might not support.  You can use the list
   of supported features to determine how a given provider can be used.
 
   Resource types define features they can use, and providers can be tested to see
   which features they provide.
 
     }
 
     types.sort { |a,b|
       a.to_s <=> b.to_s
     }.each { |name,type|
 
-      str += "
+      str << "
 
 ----------------
 
 "
 
-  str += h(name, 3)
-  str += scrub(type.doc) + "\n\n"
+  str << h(name, 3)
+  str << scrub(type.doc) + "\n\n"
 
   # Handle the feature docs.
   if featuredocs = type.featuredocs
-    str += h("Features", 4)
-    str += featuredocs
+    str << h("Features", 4)
+    str << featuredocs
     end
 
     docs = {}
     type.validproperties.sort { |a,b|
       a.to_s <=> b.to_s
     }.reject { |sname|
       property = type.propertybyname(sname)
       property.nodoc
     }.each { |sname|
       property = type.propertybyname(sname)
 
       raise "Could not retrieve property #{sname} on type #{type.name}" unless property
 
       doc = nil
       unless doc = property.doc
         $stderr.puts "No docs for #{type}[#{sname}]"
         next
       end
       doc = doc.dup
       tmp = doc
       tmp = scrub(tmp)
 
       docs[sname]  = tmp
     }
 
-    str += h("Parameters", 4) + "\n"
+    str << h("Parameters", 4) + "\n"
     type.parameters.sort { |a,b|
       a.to_s <=> b.to_s
     }.each { |name,param|
       #docs[name] = indent(scrub(type.paramdoc(name)), $tab)
       docs[name] = scrub(type.paramdoc(name))
     }
 
     additional_key_attributes = type.key_attributes - [:name]
     docs.sort { |a, b|
       a[0].to_s <=> b[0].to_s
     }.each { |name, doc|
-      str += paramwrap(name, doc, :namevar => additional_key_attributes.include?(name))
+      str << paramwrap(name, doc, :namevar => additional_key_attributes.include?(name))
     }
-    str += "\n"
+    str << "\n"
   }
 
   str
 end
diff --git a/lib/puppet/util/reference.rb b/lib/puppet/util/reference.rb
index a4921ed2a..03523843f 100644
--- a/lib/puppet/util/reference.rb
+++ b/lib/puppet/util/reference.rb
@@ -1,140 +1,140 @@
 require 'puppet/util/instance_loader'
 require 'fileutils'
 
 # Manage Reference Documentation.
 class Puppet::Util::Reference
   include Puppet::Util
   include Puppet::Util::Docs
 
   extend Puppet::Util::InstanceLoader
 
   instance_load(:reference, 'puppet/reference')
 
   def self.footer
     "\n\n----------------\n\n*This page autogenerated on #{Time.now}*\n"
   end
 
   def self.modes
     %w{pdf text}
   end
 
   def self.newreference(name, options = {}, &block)
     ref = self.new(name, options, &block)
     instance_hash(:reference)[symbolize(name)] = ref
 
     ref
   end
 
   def self.page(*sections)
     depth = 4
     # Use the minimum depth
     sections.each do |name|
       section = reference(name) or raise "Could not find section #{name}"
       depth = section.depth if section.depth < depth
     end
   end
 
   def self.pdf(text)
     puts "creating pdf"
     Puppet::Util.secure_open("/tmp/puppetdoc.txt", "w") do |f|
       f.puts text
     end
     rst2latex = which('rst2latex') || which('rst2latex.py') || raise("Could not find rst2latex")
     cmd = %{#{rst2latex} /tmp/puppetdoc.txt > /tmp/puppetdoc.tex}
     Puppet::Util.secure_open("/tmp/puppetdoc.tex","w") do |f|
       # If we get here without an error, /tmp/puppetdoc.tex isn't a tricky cracker's symlink
     end
     output = %x{#{cmd}}
     unless $CHILD_STATUS == 0
       $stderr.puts "rst2latex failed"
       $stderr.puts output
       exit(1)
     end
     $stderr.puts output
 
     # Now convert to pdf
     Dir.chdir("/tmp") do
       %x{texi2pdf puppetdoc.tex >/dev/null 2>/dev/null}
     end
 
   end
 
   def self.references
     instance_loader(:reference).loadall
     loaded_instances(:reference).sort { |a,b| a.to_s <=> b.to_s }
   end
 
   HEADER_LEVELS = [nil, "#", "##", "###", "####", "#####"]
 
   attr_accessor :page, :depth, :header, :title, :dynamic
   attr_writer :doc
 
   def doc
     if defined?(@doc)
       return "#{@name} - #{@doc}"
     else
       return @title
     end
   end
 
   def dynamic?
     self.dynamic
   end
 
   def h(name, level)
     "#{HEADER_LEVELS[level]} #{name}\n\n"
   end
 
   def initialize(name, options = {}, &block)
     @name = name
     options.each do |option, value|
       send(option.to_s + "=", value)
     end
 
     meta_def(:generate, &block)
 
     # Now handle the defaults
     @title ||= "#{@name.to_s.capitalize} Reference"
     @page ||= @title.gsub(/\s+/, '')
     @depth ||= 2
     @header ||= ""
   end
 
   # Indent every line in the chunk except those which begin with '..'.
   def indent(text, tab)
     text.gsub(/(^|\A)/, tab).gsub(/^ +\.\./, "..")
   end
 
   def option(name, value)
     ":#{name.to_s.capitalize}: #{value}\n"
   end
 
   def paramwrap(name, text, options = {})
     options[:level] ||= 5
     #str = "#{name} : "
     str = h(name, options[:level])
     str += "- **namevar**\n\n" if options[:namevar]
     str += text
     #str += text.gsub(/\n/, "\n    ")
 
     str += "\n\n"
   end
 
   def text
     puts output
   end
 
   def to_markdown(withcontents = true)
     # First the header
     text = h(@title, 1)
-    text += "\n\n**This page is autogenerated; any changes will get overwritten** *(last generated on #{Time.now.to_s})*\n\n"
+    text << "\n\n**This page is autogenerated; any changes will get overwritten** *(last generated on #{Time.now.to_s})*\n\n"
 
-    text += @header
+    text << @header
 
-    text += generate
+    text << generate
 
-    text += self.class.footer if withcontents
+    text << self.class.footer if withcontents
 
     text
   end
 end