diff --git a/WINGs/Extras/Makefile.am b/WINGs/Extras/Makefile.am
index 291ed949..3ff4001c 100644
--- a/WINGs/Extras/Makefile.am
+++ b/WINGs/Extras/Makefile.am
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@
 
 AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = no-dependencies
 
-
-
 # is this a kluge? if so, how should i do it?
 includedir = @includedir@/WINGs
 
@@ -16,8 +14,6 @@ noinst_PROGRAMS = test
 
 EXTRA_DIST = 
 
-libExtraWINGs_a_AR = $(QUIET_AR) $(AR) $(ARFLAGS)
-
 libExtraWINGs_la_SOURCES = 	\
 	wtableview.c \
 	wtabledelegates.c \
@@ -34,14 +30,3 @@ LDADD= $(top_builddir)/WINGs/libWINGs.la $(top_builddir)/wrlib/libwraster.la \
 	@XFTLIBS@ @INTLIBS@
 
 test_LDADD = wtableview.o wtabledelegates.o $(LDADD)
-
-LIBTOOL = $(SHELL) $(top_builddir)/libtool $(LIBTOOL_ARG)
-
-.c.o:
-	$(QUIET)$(COMPILE) -c $<
-
-.c.obj:
-	$(QUIET)$(COMPILE) -c `$(CYGPATH_W) '$<'`
-
-.c.lo:
-	$(QUIET)$(LTCOMPILE) -c -o $@ $<
diff --git a/WINGs/Makefile.am b/WINGs/Makefile.am
index 20cbe4a7..c37e953d 100644
--- a/WINGs/Makefile.am
+++ b/WINGs/Makefile.am
@@ -4,12 +4,6 @@ AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = no-dependencies
 
 SUBDIRS = WINGs . po Documentation Resources
 
-LIBTOOL = $(SHELL) $(top_builddir)/libtool $(LIBTOOL_ARG)
-
-libWINGs_a_AR = $(QUIET_AR) $(AR) $(ARFLAGS)
-
-libWUtil_a_AR = $(QUIET_AR) $(AR) $(ARFLAGS)
-
 libWINGs_la_LDFLAGS = -version-info 2:1:0
 libWUtil_la_LDFLAGS = -version-info 1:2:0
 
@@ -107,12 +101,3 @@ install-exec-local:
 	    $(INSTALL_DATA) $$p $(DESTDIR)$(libdir)/pkgconfig/; \
 	  else :; fi; \
 	done
-
-.c.o:
-	$(QUIET)$(COMPILE) -c $<
-
-.c.obj:
-	$(QUIET)$(COMPILE) -c `$(CYGPATH_W) '$<'`
-
-.c.lo:
-	$(QUIET)$(LTCOMPILE) -c -o $@ $<
diff --git a/WINGs/Tests/Makefile.am b/WINGs/Tests/Makefile.am
index f8aecd47..56c1dd1d 100644
--- a/WINGs/Tests/Makefile.am
+++ b/WINGs/Tests/Makefile.am
@@ -20,13 +20,3 @@ INCLUDES = -I$(top_srcdir)/WINGs -I$(top_srcdir)/wrlib -I$(top_srcdir)/src \
 	-DRESOURCE_PATH=\"$(datadir)/WINGs\" @XFTFLAGS@ @HEADER_SEARCH_PATH@ \
 	-DDEBUG
 	
-LIBTOOL = $(QUIET) $(SHELL) $(top_builddir)/libtool $(LIBTOOL_ARG)
-
-.c.o:
-	$(QUIET)$(COMPILE) -c $<
-
-.c.obj:
-	$(QUIET)$(COMPILE) -c `$(CYGPATH_W) '$<'`
-
-.c.lo:
-	$(QUIET)$(LTCOMPILE) -c -o $@ $<
diff --git a/WINGs/WINGs/Makefile.am b/WINGs/WINGs/Makefile.am
index 23a12232..19174954 100644
--- a/WINGs/WINGs/Makefile.am
+++ b/WINGs/WINGs/Makefile.am
@@ -6,12 +6,3 @@ AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = no-dependencies
 includedir = @includedir@/WINGs
 
 include_HEADERS = WINGs.h WUtil.h WINGsP.h proplist-compat.h
-
-.c.o:
-	$(QUIET)$(COMPILE) -c $<
-
-.c.obj:
-	$(QUIET)$(COMPILE) -c `$(CYGPATH_W) '$<'`
-
-.c.lo:
-	$(QUIET)$(LTCOMPILE) -c -o $@ $<
diff --git a/WPrefs.app/Makefile.am b/WPrefs.app/Makefile.am
index 9ca9636f..06532f7c 100644
--- a/WPrefs.app/Makefile.am
+++ b/WPrefs.app/Makefile.am
@@ -56,14 +56,3 @@ WPrefs_LDADD = \
 	$(top_builddir)/wrlib/libwraster.la \
 	@XFTLIBS@ \
 	@INTLIBS@
-
-LIBTOOL = $(SHELL) $(top_builddir)/libtool $(LIBTOOL_ARG)
-
-.c.o:
-	$(QUIET)$(COMPILE) -c $<
-
-.c.obj:
-	$(QUIET)$(COMPILE) -c `$(CYGPATH_W) '$<'`
-
-.c.lo:
-	$(QUIET)$(LTCOMPILE) -c -o $@ $<
diff --git a/WindowMaker/Defaults/Makefile.am b/WindowMaker/Defaults/Makefile.am
index 553c7e96..e5e057fc 100644
--- a/WindowMaker/Defaults/Makefile.am
+++ b/WindowMaker/Defaults/Makefile.am
@@ -10,20 +10,20 @@ EXTRA_DIST = WMGLOBAL WMWindowAttributes.in WindowMaker.in WMState.in
 CLEANFILES = WMWindowAttributes WindowMaker WMState
 
 WMWindowAttributes: $(srcdir)/WMWindowAttributes.in
-	@-rm -f WMWindowAttributes
-	@sed -e "s:#extension#:@ICONEXT@:" \
+	-rm -f WMWindowAttributes
+	sed -e "s:#extension#:@ICONEXT@:" \
 		$(srcdir)/WMWindowAttributes.in > WMWindowAttributes
 	chmod 644 WMWindowAttributes
 
 WindowMaker: $(srcdir)/WindowMaker.in
-	@-rm -f WindowMaker
-	@sed -e "s:#pkgdatadir#:$(pkgdatadir):" $(srcdir)/WindowMaker.in \
+	-rm -f WindowMaker
+	sed -e "s:#pkgdatadir#:$(pkgdatadir):" $(srcdir)/WindowMaker.in \
 		> WindowMaker
 	chmod 644 WindowMaker
 
 WMState: $(srcdir)/WMState.in
-	@-rm -f WMState
-	@sed -e "s:#wprefs#:$(wpexecbindir)/WPrefs:" $(srcdir)/WMState.in > WMState
+	-rm -f WMState
+	sed -e "s:#wprefs#:$(wpexecbindir)/WPrefs:" $(srcdir)/WMState.in > WMState
 	chmod 644 WMState
 
 WMRootMenu: $(srcdir)/../plmenu
diff --git a/WindowMaker/IconSets/Makefile.am b/WindowMaker/IconSets/Makefile.am
index b3d838ce..ec5ca124 100644
--- a/WindowMaker/IconSets/Makefile.am
+++ b/WindowMaker/IconSets/Makefile.am
@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@ EXTRA_DIST =
 CLEANFILES = Default.iconset
 
 Default.iconset: $(top_builddir)/WindowMaker/Defaults/WMWindowAttributes
-	@-rm -f Default.iconset
-	@echo '{' > Default.iconset
-	@grep Icon $(top_builddir)/WindowMaker/Defaults/WMWindowAttributes >> Default.iconset
-	@echo '}' >> Default.iconset
+	-rm -f Default.iconset
+	echo '{' > Default.iconset
+	grep Icon $(top_builddir)/WindowMaker/Defaults/WMWindowAttributes >> Default.iconset
+	echo '}' >> Default.iconset
 	chmod 644 Default.iconset
 
 
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 7ae71602..9ef48456 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ AC_INIT(WindowMaker, 0.94.0-crm)
 AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR(src/WindowMaker.h)
 AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR([m4])
 AM_CONFIG_HEADER(src/config.h)
+AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([1.11 silent-rules])
 
 dnl Checks for host/os name
 dnl =======================
@@ -361,25 +362,6 @@ AC_SUBST(UTILMOFILES)
 AC_SUBST(WINGSMOFILES)
 AC_SUBST(supported_locales)
 
-dnl Support for various hint things
-dnl ===============================
-
-dnl Beautify compilation messages
-dnl =============================
-AC_ARG_ENABLE(verbose-compile, AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-verbose-compile],
-			       [Streamline compilation messages]),
-  [
-	QUIET='@echo "     CC" $@;'
-	QUIET_AR='@echo "     AR" $@;'
-	LIBTOOL_ARG="--silent"
-	MAKEFLAGS="-s"
-	AC_SUBST(QUIET)
-	AC_SUBST(QUIET_AR)
-	AC_SUBST(LIBTOOL_ARG)
-	AC_SUBST(MAKEFLAGS)
-])
-
-
 dnl ===========================================
 dnl 		Stuff that uses X
 dnl ===========================================
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 4de91699..81e6f9a3 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -121,14 +121,3 @@ wmaker_LDADD = \
 	@XFTLIBS@ \
 	@XLIBS@ \
 	@INTLIBS@
-
-LIBTOOL = $(SHELL) $(top_builddir)/libtool $(LIBTOOL_ARG)
-
-.c.o:
-	$(QUIET)$(COMPILE) -c $<
-
-.c.obj:
-	$(QUIET)$(COMPILE) -c `$(CYGPATH_W) '$<'`
-
-.c.lo:
-	$(QUIET)$(LTCOMPILE) -c -o $@ $<
diff --git a/util/Makefile.am b/util/Makefile.am
index 2b861d69..3855b396 100644
--- a/util/Makefile.am
+++ b/util/Makefile.am
@@ -66,8 +66,8 @@ wmgenmenu_SOURCES = wmgenmenu.c wmgenmenu.h
 CLEANFILES = wmaker.inst
 
 wmaker.inst: $(srcdir)/wmaker.inst.in ./Makefile
-	@-rm -f wmaker.inst
-	@sed -e "s|#pkgdatadir#|$(pkgdatadir)|" \
+	-rm -f wmaker.inst
+	sed -e "s|#pkgdatadir#|$(pkgdatadir)|" \
 		-e "s|#sysconfdir#|$(sysconfdir)/WindowMaker|" \
 		-e "s|#version#|$(VERSION)|" \
 		-e "s|#bindir#|$(bindir)|" \
@@ -75,13 +75,3 @@ wmaker.inst: $(srcdir)/wmaker.inst.in ./Makefile
 
 	chmod 755 wmaker.inst
 	
-LIBTOOL = $(SHELL) $(top_builddir)/libtool $(LIBTOOL_ARG)
-
-.c.o:
-	$(QUIET)$(COMPILE) -c $<
-
-.c.obj:
-	$(QUIET)$(COMPILE) -c `$(CYGPATH_W) '$<'`
-
-.c.lo:
-	$(QUIET)$(LTCOMPILE) -c -o $@ $<
diff --git a/wrlib/Makefile.am b/wrlib/Makefile.am
index 0fbb8257..5162fa32 100644
--- a/wrlib/Makefile.am
+++ b/wrlib/Makefile.am
@@ -10,8 +10,6 @@ lib_LTLIBRARIES = libwraster.la
 
 libwraster_la_LDFLAGS = -version-info 4:0:1
 
-LIBTOOL = $(SHELL) $(top_builddir)/libtool $(LIBTOOL_ARG)
-
 bin_SCRIPTS = get-wraster-flags
 
 include_HEADERS = wraster.h
@@ -42,26 +40,15 @@ libwraster_la_SOURCES = 	\
 	gif.c
 
 
-.c:
-	$(QUIET)$(COMPILE) -c $<
-
-.c.obj:
-	$(QUIET)$(COMPILE) -c `$(CYGPATH_W) '$<'`
-
-# This is the same as LTCOMPILE but without LIBTOOL
-LTCOMPILE1= --tag=CC $(AM_LIBTOOLFLAGS) $(LIBTOOLFLAGS) \
-	--mode=compile $(CC) $(DEFS) $(DEFAULT_INCLUDES) $(INCLUDES) \
-	$(AM_CPPFLAGS) $(CPPFLAGS) $(AM_CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS)
-
-LTCOMPILE2=`echo $(LTCOMPILE1) | sed -e s/-fomit-frame-pointer//`
+LTCOMPILE2=`echo $(LTCOMPILE) | sed -e s/-fomit-frame-pointer//`
 COMPILE2=`echo $(COMPILE) | sed -e s/-fomit-frame-pointer//`
 
 # cant compile asm stuff with optimizations
 x86_specific.lo: x86_specific.c
-	$(LIBTOOL) $(LTCOMPILE2) -O0 -c $<
+	$(LTCOMPILE2) -O0 -c $<
 
 x86_specific.o: x86_specific.c
-	$(QUIET)$(COMPILE2) -O0 -c $<
+	$(COMPILE2) -O0 -c $<
 
 
 INCLUDES = $(DFLAGS) @HEADER_SEARCH_PATH@
diff --git a/wrlib/tests/Makefile.am b/wrlib/tests/Makefile.am
index 07b6a697..411992c8 100644
--- a/wrlib/tests/Makefile.am
+++ b/wrlib/tests/Makefile.am
@@ -10,8 +10,6 @@ INCLUDES = -I$(srcdir)/.. $(DFLAGS) @HEADER_SEARCH_PATH@
 
 LIBLIST = $(top_builddir)/wrlib/libwraster.la
 
-LIBTOOL = $(QUIET)$(top_srcdir)/libtool --silent
-
 testdraw_SOURCES = testdraw.c
 testdraw_LDADD = $(LIBLIST)
 
@@ -23,12 +21,3 @@ testrot_LDADD = $(LIBLIST)
 
 view_SOURCES= view.c
 view_LDADD = $(LIBLIST)
-
-.c.o:
-	$(QUIET)$(COMPILE) -c $<
-
-.c.obj:
-	$(QUIET)$(COMPILE) -c `$(CYGPATH_W) '$<'`
-
-.c.lo:
-	$(QUIET)$(LTCOMPILE) -c -o $@ $<