I'm playing the Tex Murphy games for the first time and I've got to say they're excellent, I'm currently on UAKM. I haven't used hints much, but sometimes have been totally stuck and just couldn't resist (mostly due to not being able to find an item\s in a room). Would you say it's best to play the games without using the hint system at all, or do you think using hints now and then is okay and doesn't spoil the game?

using the hints is okay but you loose points, I have never much worried about the points myself.
glad to know you are enjoying the game & pandora is even better

It depends. I do prefer a system of more and more explicit hints though, so at least I have some chance of redeeming a bit of my pride.
Day of the Tentacle for instance, all the puzzles made sense to me, I never needed help, whereas something like Feeble Files is just retardedly obscure, and so hints are permissible.
Really, I guess it's that judicious use of hints is fine, but straight-up solutions are a no-no.

I guess that's a very individual choice - playing a game with a WT in one hand and the mouse in the other is just as OK as when you insist on solving really everything on your own. As long as you're having fun, because obviously that's what gaming is all about...
I sit somewhere in the middle; life's too short to think for days about some solution so I take a peek when it takes too long.
A very nice site for this is for instance http://www.uhs-hints.com/uhsweb/uakm.php as it gives graduated hints

the hint systen will also only tell you where to go next but doesn't help you solve the puzzels. If you need a hand with the puzzles go the this site as it has every puzzle for all the tex murphy games. [url=http://home.wideopenwest.com/~hbech]http://home.wideopenwest.com/~hbech[/url]/