the autotools in this are ridiculously ancient (over 15 years old).
update them to something reasonable.

--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #noinst_SCRIPTS=systype
 PACKAGE_VERSION=@PACKAGE@-@VERSION@
 # i can do that better ...
-AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS=no-dependencies ansi2knr readme-alpha 1.3 gnu
+AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS=no-dependencies readme-alpha gnu
 man_MANS=smtpblast.1 usmtpd.1 tomaildir.1 maildirblast.1 rewriteheader.1
 EXTRA_DIST= attribs.h crc32ansi.h dirsysdep.h dns.h dynhash.h \
 	dns_int.h filelock.h \
@@ -41,31 +41,6 @@ maildirblast_SOURCES=maildirblast.c smtp.c runqueue.c \
 	uosock_connect.c filelock.c uogetopt.c str2long.c str2ulong.c
 maildirblast_LDADD=libdns.a libmta.a libstr.a libio.a @LIBOBJS@
 
-if HAVE_GNU_MAKE
-## We must create the .deps directory if it doesn't exist.  We do it
-## in this strange way to make sure the .deps directory exists,
-## without trying to run mkdir for each compilation.
-## stolen from automake
-DEPS_MAGIC := $(shell mkdir deps > /dev/null 2>&1 || :)
-endif
-
-if HAVE_GNU_MAKE
-# no dependency tracking without GNU make
-##
-## automake depencency stuff is unreliable, it will not
-## recreate .deps/xxx.P if it has been removed.
-## and anyway, i dislike hidden directories.
--include $(addprefix ./deps/,$(SOURCES:.c=.d))
-deps/%.d: %.c
-if HAVE_GCC_DEP
-	@echo mkdep $< 
-	@$(COMPILE) -Wp,-MMD,./deps/$(@F) -E $< >/dev/null
-else
-# no dependency generating without GCC
-	@exit 0
-endif
-endif
-
 rpm: $(PACKAGE_VERSION).tar.gz Specfile
 	$(srcdir)/buildrpm $(srcdir)
 success:
--- a/acinclude.m4
+++ b/acinclude.m4
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-AC_DEFUN(UO_HEADER_SYS_SELECT,
+AC_DEFUN([UO_HEADER_SYS_SELECT],
 [AC_CACHE_CHECK([whether sys/time.h and sys/select.h may both be included],
   lrzsz_cv_header_sys_select,
   [AC_TRY_COMPILE([#include <sys/types.h>
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ AC_DEFUN(UO_HEADER_SYS_SELECT,
 #include <sys/select.h>],
 [struct tm *tp;], lrzsz_cv_header_sys_select=yes, lrzsz_cv_header_sys_select=no)])
 if test $lrzsz_cv_header_sys_select = no; then
-AC_DEFINE(SYS_TIME_WITHOUT_SYS_SELECT)
+AC_DEFINE(SYS_TIME_WITHOUT_SYS_SELECT, 1, [blah])
 fi
 ])
 
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
-AC_INIT(smtpblast.c)
-AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE(smtptools, 0.2.3)
+AC_INIT(smtptools, 0.2.3)
+AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE
 AM_CONFIG_HEADER(config.h)
 
+AH_BOTTOM([#define P__(x) x])
+
 if test "x$CFLAGS" = x ; then
 	if test "x$CC" = "xlcc" ; then 
 		if test "x$_CFLAGS_LCC" != x  ; then
@@ -23,38 +25,19 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(efence,
 dnl Checks for programs.
 AC_PROG_CC
 AC_PROG_CPP
-if test "x$GCC" = xyes ; then 
-	AC_MSG_CHECKING([whether gcc supports -Wp,-MMD])
-	old="$CPPFLAGS"; CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS -Wp,-MMD,myconftest.out -E"
-	AC_TRY_CPP(int main(void) {return 0;},test -s myconftest.out && GCC_DEP=yes)
-	rm -f myconftest.out
-	CPPFLAGS="$old";
-	if test "x$GCC_DEP" = xyes ; then AC_MSG_RESULT(yes) ; else AC_MSG_RESULT(no); fi
-fi
-if test "x$GCC_DEP" = xyes ; then : ; else
-	AC_MSG_WARN([dependency tracking disabled])
-fi
 AM_CONDITIONAL(HAVE_GCC_DEP, test "x$GCC_DEP" = "xyes")
+AC_CHECK_TOOL(AR, ar)
 AC_PROG_RANLIB
 AC_CHECK_PROGS(MAKE,gnumake gmake make pmake,make)
-AC_MSG_CHECKING([for GNU make])
-	echo "include confMakefile2" >confMakefile1
-	echo "TESTFORGNUMAKE:" >confMakefile2
-	GNU_MAKE=no
-	$MAKE -f confMakefile1 >/dev/null 2>/dev/null && GNU_MAKE=yes
-	rm -f confMakefile2 confMakefile1
-	AC_MSG_RESULT($GNU_MAKE)
-	AM_CONDITIONAL(HAVE_GNU_MAKE, test "x$GNU_MAKE" = "xyes")
-	if test "x$GNU_MAKE" = "xno" ; then
-		AC_MSG_WARN([dependencies disabled])
-	fi
-AM_C_PROTOTYPES
 
 dnl Checks for libraries.
 if test "x$WANT_EFENCE" = x ; then : ;  else
 	AC_CHECK_LIB(efence, main)
 fi
+dnl glibc uses the symbol __dn_expand and provides a dn_expand define
+dnl which expands into __dn_expand.  check for both.
 AC_CHECK_LIB(resolv, dn_expand)
+AC_CHECK_LIB(resolv, __dn_expand)
 dnl SCO needs this.
 AC_CHECK_LIB(socket,syslog,,,)
 dnl slowlartis needs this