diff --git a/autogen.sh b/autogen.sh
index 2deaa93..bd2cbae 100755
--- a/autogen.sh
+++ b/autogen.sh
@@ -44,9 +44,25 @@ automake_min_vers=`extract_version AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE`
 libtoolize_min_vers=`extract_version AC_PROG_LIBTOOL`
 aclocal_min_vers=$automake_min_vers
 
+atleastver() {
+	i=1
+	a=`echo $1 | cut -d. -f$i`
+	b=`echo $2 | cut -d. -f$i`
+	while test -n "$a" -a -n "$b"
+	do
+		if test "$a" -lt "$b" ; then
+			return 1
+		fi
+		i=$(( $i + 1 ))
+		a=`echo $1 | cut -d. -f$i`
+		b=`echo $2 | cut -d. -f$i`
+	done
+	return 0
+}
+
+
 if ($AUTOCONF --version) < /dev/null > /dev/null 2>&1 ; then
-    if ($AUTOCONF --version | head -n 1 | awk 'NR==1 { if( $(NF) >= '$autoconf_min_vers') \
-			       exit 1; exit 0; }');
+    if ! atleastver `$AUTOCONF --version | head -n 1 | cut -d\  -f4` $autoconf_min_vers
     then
        echo "$ARGV0: ERROR: \`$AUTOCONF' is too old."
        $AUTOCONF --version
@@ -72,8 +88,8 @@ if test x"$AUTOMAKE" = x || test x"$ACLOCAL" = x ; then
   for ver in "" "-1.9" "-1.8" "-1.7" ; do
     am="automake$ver"
     if ($am --version) < /dev/null > /dev/null 2>&1 ; then
-      if ($am --version | head -n 1 | awk 'NR==1 { if( $(NF) >= '$automake_min_vers') \
-	  		 exit 1; exit 0; }'); then : ; else
+			if ! atleastver `$am --version | head -n 1 | cut -d\  -f4` $automake_min_vers
+			then
          am_ver=$ver
          break;
       fi
@@ -89,21 +105,19 @@ fi
 # aren't sufficiently new.
 #
 if ($AUTOMAKE --version) < /dev/null > /dev/null 2>&1 ; then
-  if ($AUTOMAKE --version | head -n 1 | awk 'NR==1 { if( $(NF) >= '$automake_min_vers') \
-			     exit 1; exit 0; }');
-     then
+  if ! atleastver `$AUTOMAKE --version | head -n 1 | cut -d\  -f4` $automake_min_vers
+  then
      echo "$ARGV0: ERROR: \`$AUTOMAKE' is too old."
      $AUTOMAKE --version
      echo "           (version $automake_min_vers or newer is required)"
      DIE="yes"
   fi
   if ($ACLOCAL --version) < /dev/null > /dev/null 2>&1; then
-    if ($ACLOCAL --version | head -n 1 | awk 'NR==1 { if( $(NF) >= '$aclocal_min_vers' ) \
-						exit 1; exit 0; }' );
-    then
-      echo "$ARGV0: ERROR: \`$ACLOCAL' is too old."
+		if ! atleastver `$ACLOCAL --version | head -n 1 | cut -d\  -f4` $aclocal_min_vers
+		then
+			echo -n "$ARGV0: ERROR: \`$ACLOCAL' is too old, "
+			$ACLOCAL --version | head -n 1 | awk 'NR==1 { print "[version ", $(NF), "], (version '$aclocal_min_vers' or newer is required)."; exit 0; }'
       $ACLOCAL --version
-      echo "           (version $aclocal_min_vers or newer is required)"
       DIE="yes"
     fi
   else
@@ -122,8 +136,7 @@ else
 fi
 
 if ($LIBTOOLIZE --version) < /dev/null > /dev/null 2>&1 ; then
-    if ($LIBTOOLIZE --version | awk 'NR==1 { if( $4 >= '$libtoolize_min_vers') \
-			       exit 1; exit 0; }');
+	if ! atleastver `$LIBTOOLIZE --version | head -n 1 | cut -d\  -f4` $libtoolize_min_vers
     then
        echo "$ARGV0: ERROR: \`$LIBTOOLIZE' is too old."
        echo "           (version $libtoolize_min_vers or newer is required)"