WDYT of cutting new `automake` that includes this fix? Then projects could start cutting release tarballs that Just Work for such systems.
Agreed we need to make a new automake release asap, but unfortunately the code is not ready. Releasing it would cause more problems than it would solve. If Jim (the main Automake maintainer) wants to cut a release with just that fix, I have nothing against it, but it sounds like a lot of work for one relatively small bug. I suspect it would lead to a deluge of bug reports (especially Python-related) for things that have already been fixed. At present I am the main bottleneck, but I can't work faster than I am, which is quite slowly. If another Automake(/Perl/etc.)-savvy volunteer came forward to help with development, that would be great. Until then, I and the other people working on Automake continue to progress as best we can. --thanks, karl.