diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 5100e5d98eda7e134d8c3b7ae37580dcdf97c44f..39233f5fe11bd377534cac2c73bcd34db19ec8e7 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@ AC_INIT([SWIFT],[0.1.0])
 AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR([src/space.c])
 AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE
 
-AC_GNU_SOURCE
-AC_PROG_LIBTOOL
+AC_USE_SYSTEM_EXTENSIONS
+LT_INIT
 
 # my own macro collection
 AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR([m4])
@@ -29,18 +29,17 @@ AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR([m4])
 # generate header file
 AM_CONFIG_HEADER(config.h)
 
-# compiler settings
-#CFLAGS="-Wall $(CFLAGS)"
-
 # find and test the compiler
-AM_PROG_CC_C_O
+AC_PROG_CC
 AC_PROG_CC_C99
-AC_LANG_C
+AC_C_INLINE
+
 # AX_CC_MAXOPT
 AX_FUNC_POSIX_MEMALIGN
 AX_GCC_ARCHFLAG([no])
 AX_EXT
 
+
 # autoconf stuff
 AC_PROG_INSTALL
 AC_PROG_MAKE_SET
@@ -98,7 +97,7 @@ AC_CHECK_LIB(z,gzopen,[
 AX_FUNC_POSIX_MEMALIGN
 
 # Check for OpenMP
-AX_OPENMP
+AC_OPENMP
 AC_SUBST(OPENMP_CFLAGS)
 if test -z "${OPENMP_CFLAGS}"; then
    echo $OPENMP_CFLAGS
@@ -114,7 +113,6 @@ AC_CHECK_FUNC( pthread_setaffinity_np , AC_DEFINE([HAVE_SETAFFINITY],[true],
     [Defined if pthread_setaffinity_np exists.]) )
     
 # Check for timing functions needed by cycle.h
-AC_C_INLINE
 AC_HEADER_TIME
 AC_CHECK_HEADERS([sys/time.h c_asm.h intrinsics.h mach/mach_time.h])
 AC_CHECK_TYPE([hrtime_t],[AC_DEFINE(HAVE_HRTIME_T, 1, [Define to 1 if hrtime_t is defined in <sys/time.h>])],,[#if HAVE_SYS_TIME_H
@@ -123,9 +121,9 @@ AC_CHECK_TYPE([hrtime_t],[AC_DEFINE(HAVE_HRTIME_T, 1, [Define to 1 if hrtime_t i
 AC_CHECK_FUNCS([gethrtime read_real_time time_base_to_time clock_gettime mach_absolute_time])
 AC_MSG_CHECKING([for _rtc intrinsic])
 rtc_ok=yes
-AC_TRY_LINK([#ifdef HAVE_INTRINSICS_H
+AC_LINK_IFELSE([AC_LANG_PROGRAM([[#ifdef HAVE_INTRINSICS_H
 #include <intrinsics.h>
-#endif], [_rtc()], [AC_DEFINE(HAVE__RTC,1,[Define if you have the UNICOS _rtc() intrinsic.])], [rtc_ok=no])
+#endif]], [[_rtc()]])],[AC_DEFINE(HAVE__RTC,1,[Define if you have the UNICOS _rtc() intrinsic.])],[rtc_ok=no])
 AC_MSG_RESULT($rtc_ok)
 
 # make the documentation
diff --git a/m4/ax_openmp.m4 b/m4/ax_openmp.m4
deleted file mode 100644
index b534bbb0be7b8a2bbc7e62aaf2a623c7f8233736..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/m4/ax_openmp.m4
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,97 +0,0 @@
-# ===========================================================================
-#               http://autoconf-archive.cryp.to/ax_openmp.html
-# ===========================================================================
-#
-# SYNOPSIS
-#
-#   AX_OPENMP([ACTION-IF-FOUND[, ACTION-IF-NOT-FOUND]])
-#
-# DESCRIPTION
-#
-#   This macro tries to find out how to compile programs that use OpenMP a
-#   standard API and set of compiler directives for parallel programming
-#   (see http://www-unix.mcs/)
-#
-#   On success, it sets the OPENMP_CFLAGS/OPENMP_CXXFLAGS/OPENMP_F77FLAGS
-#   output variable to the flag (e.g. -omp) used both to compile *and* link
-#   OpenMP programs in the current language.
-#
-#   NOTE: You are assumed to not only compile your program with these flags,
-#   but also link it with them as well.
-#
-#   If you want to compile everything with OpenMP, you should set:
-#
-#       CFLAGS="$CFLAGS $OPENMP_CFLAGS"
-#       #OR#  CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS $OPENMP_CXXFLAGS"
-#       #OR#  FFLAGS="$FFLAGS $OPENMP_FFLAGS"
-#
-#   (depending on the selected language).
-#
-#   The user can override the default choice by setting the corresponding
-#   environment variable (e.g. OPENMP_CFLAGS).
-#
-#   ACTION-IF-FOUND is a list of shell commands to run if an OpenMP flag is
-#   found, and ACTION-IF-NOT-FOUND is a list of commands to run it if it is
-#   not found. If ACTION-IF-FOUND is not specified, the default action will
-#   define HAVE_OPENMP.
-#
-# LICENSE
-#
-#   Copyright (c) 2008 Steven G. Johnson <stevenj@alum.mit.edu>
-#
-#   This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it
-#   under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the
-#   Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your
-#   option) any later version.
-#
-#   This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
-#   WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
-#   MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General
-#   Public License for more details.
-#
-#   You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
-#   with this program. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
-#
-#   As a special exception, the respective Autoconf Macro's copyright owner
-#   gives unlimited permission to copy, distribute and modify the configure
-#   scripts that are the output of Autoconf when processing the Macro. You
-#   need not follow the terms of the GNU General Public License when using
-#   or distributing such scripts, even though portions of the text of the
-#   Macro appear in them. The GNU General Public License (GPL) does govern
-#   all other use of the material that constitutes the Autoconf Macro.
-#
-#   This special exception to the GPL applies to versions of the Autoconf
-#   Macro released by the Autoconf Archive. When you make and distribute a
-#   modified version of the Autoconf Macro, you may extend this special
-#   exception to the GPL to apply to your modified version as well.
-
-AC_DEFUN([AX_OPENMP], [
-AC_PREREQ(2.59) dnl for _AC_LANG_PREFIX
-
-AC_CACHE_CHECK([for OpenMP flag of _AC_LANG compiler], ax_cv_[]_AC_LANG_ABBREV[]_openmp, [save[]_AC_LANG_PREFIX[]FLAGS=$[]_AC_LANG_PREFIX[]FLAGS
-ax_cv_[]_AC_LANG_ABBREV[]_openmp=unknown
-# Flags to try:  -fopenmp (gcc), -openmp (icc), -mp (SGI & PGI),
-#                -xopenmp (Sun), -omp (Tru64), -qsmp=omp (AIX), none
-ax_openmp_flags="-fopenmp -openmp -mp -xopenmp -omp -qsmp=omp none"
-if test "x$OPENMP_[]_AC_LANG_PREFIX[]FLAGS" != x; then
-  ax_openmp_flags="$OPENMP_[]_AC_LANG_PREFIX[]FLAGS $ax_openmp_flags"
-fi
-for ax_openmp_flag in $ax_openmp_flags; do
-  case $ax_openmp_flag in
-    none) []_AC_LANG_PREFIX[]FLAGS=$save[]_AC_LANG_PREFIX[] ;;
-    *) []_AC_LANG_PREFIX[]FLAGS="$save[]_AC_LANG_PREFIX[]FLAGS $ax_openmp_flag" ;;
-  esac
-  AC_TRY_LINK_FUNC(omp_set_num_threads,
-	[ax_cv_[]_AC_LANG_ABBREV[]_openmp=$ax_openmp_flag; break])
-done
-[]_AC_LANG_PREFIX[]FLAGS=$save[]_AC_LANG_PREFIX[]FLAGS
-])
-if test "x$ax_cv_[]_AC_LANG_ABBREV[]_openmp" = "xunknown"; then
-  m4_default([$2],:)
-else
-  if test "x$ax_cv_[]_AC_LANG_ABBREV[]_openmp" != "xnone"; then
-    OPENMP_[]_AC_LANG_PREFIX[]FLAGS=$ax_cv_[]_AC_LANG_ABBREV[]_openmp
-  fi
-  m4_default([$1], [AC_DEFINE(HAVE_OPENMP,1,[Define if OpenMP is enabled])])
-fi
-])dnl AX_OPENMP