diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 5cbf273..9e80b48 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -4,8 +4,7 @@ AC_SUBST(PYILMBASE_VERSION, 2.3.0)
 AC_CANONICAL_HOST
 AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR(PyIex/iexmodule.cpp)
 AC_CONFIG_HEADER(config/PyIlmBaseConfig.h)
-AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE(1.6.3)  dnl Require automake 1.6.3 or better
-AM_MAINTAINER_MODE
+AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE
 dnl static python modules make no sense - disable static
 AC_DISABLE_STATIC
 
@@ -20,7 +19,7 @@ dnl Checks for programs.
 AC_PROG_CXX
 AC_PROG_INSTALL
 AC_PROG_LN_S
-AC_PROG_LIBTOOL
+LT_INIT
 AC_PROG_MAKE_SET
 
 dnl
@@ -164,22 +163,13 @@ AC_C_CONST
 AC_C_INLINE
 AC_TYPE_SIZE_T
 
-AC_MSG_CHECKING(for gcc optimization flags)
-old_cflags=$CFLAGS
-CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -pipe"
-AC_TRY_COMPILE([#include <stdio.h>],
-[ printf ("hello, world"); ],
-[ EXTRA_OPT_CFLAGS="-pipe"],[ EXTRA_OPT_CFLAGS=""])
-CFLAGS=$old_cflags
-AC_MSG_RESULT([$EXTRA_OPT_CFLAGS])
-
 dnl Platform-specific stuff
 case "$host" in
 *linux*)
-  AC_DEFINE(HAVE_LINUX_PROCFS)
+  AC_DEFINE([HAVE_LINUX_PROCFS], [1], [define on linux])
   ;;
 *darwin*) 
-  AC_DEFINE(HAVE_DARWIN) 
+  AC_DEFINE([HAVE_DARWIN], [1], [define on OSX]) 
   ;;
 esac