diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 7e1e78cfd..aadb6221c 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -1,4 +1,11 @@
 dnl Process this file with autoconf to produce a configure script.
+
+dnl NOTES:
+dnl * As of 1.34, we no longer use and test for "nope" to indicate
+dnl   an empty variable.  Instead, we use `VAR=' (set the variable
+dnl   to nothing) and `test -z "$VAR"' or `test -n "$VAR"' as the
+dnl   case may be.  --ttn, 2000/08/04 12:11:26
+
 AC_INIT(Source/Swig/swig.h)
 AC_PREREQ(2.0)
 . $srcdir/VERSION
@@ -231,8 +238,8 @@ fi
 if test "$no_x" = "yes" -o "$not_really_there" = "yes"; then
     AC_MSG_CHECKING(for X11 header files)
     XINCLUDES="# no special path needed"
-    AC_TRY_CPP([#include <X11/Intrinsic.h>], , XINCLUDES="nope")
-    if test "$XINCLUDES" = nope; then
+    AC_TRY_CPP([#include <X11/Intrinsic.h>], , XINCLUDES="")
+    if test -z "$XINCLUDES"; then
         dirs="/usr/unsupported/include /usr/local/include /usr/X386/include /usr/include/X11R4 /usr/X11R5/include /usr/include/X11R5 /usr/openwin/include /usr/X11/include /usr/sww/include /usr/X11R6/include /usr/include/X11R6"
         for i in $dirs ; do
 	    if test -r $i/X11/Intrinsic.h; then
@@ -249,14 +256,14 @@ else
 	XINCLUDES="# no special path needed"
     fi
 fi
-if test "$XINCLUDES" = nope; then
+if test -z "$XINCLUDES"; then
     AC_MSG_RESULT(couldn't find any!)
     XINCLUDES="# no include files found"
 fi
 
 if test "$no_x" = yes; then
     AC_MSG_CHECKING(for X11 libraries)
-    XLIBSW=nope
+    XLIBSW=
     dirs="/usr/unsupported/lib /usr/local/lib /usr/X386/lib /usr/lib/X11R4 /usr/X11R5/lib /usr/lib/X11R5 /usr/X11R6/lib /usr/lib/X11R6 /usr/openwin/lib /usr/X11/lib /usr/sww/X11/lib"
     for i in $dirs ; do
 	if test -r $i/libX11.a -o -r $i/libX11.so -o -r $i/libX11.sl; then
@@ -272,10 +279,10 @@ else
 	XLIBSW="-L$x_libraries -lX11"
     fi
 fi
-if test "$XLIBSW" = nope ; then
+if test -z "$XLIBSW" ; then
     AC_CHECK_LIB(Xwindow, XCreateWindow, XLIBSW=-lXwindow)
 fi
-if test "$XLIBSW" = nope ; then
+if test -z "$XLIBSW" ; then
     AC_MSG_RESULT(couldn't find any!  Using -lX11.)
     XLIBSW=-lX11
 fi
@@ -287,33 +294,33 @@ AC_SUBST(XLIBSW)
 #	Try to locate the Tcl package
 #--------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-TCLINCLUDE=nope
-TCLLIB=nope
-TCLPACKAGE=nope
+TCLINCLUDE=
+TCLLIB=
+TCLPACKAGE=
 
 AC_ARG_WITH(tcl,[  --with-tcl=path         Set location of Tcl package],[
-	TCLPACKAGE="$withval"], [TCLPACKAGE=nope])
+	TCLPACKAGE="$withval"], [TCLPACKAGE=])
 AC_ARG_WITH(tclincl,[  --with-tclincl=path     Set location of Tcl include directory],[
-	TCLINCLUDE="-I$withval"], [TCLINCLUDE=nope])
+	TCLINCLUDE="-I$withval"], [TCLINCLUDE=])
 AC_ARG_WITH(tcllib,[  --with-tcllib=path      Set location of Tcl library directory],[
-	TCLLIB="-L$withval"], [TCLLIB=nope])
+	TCLLIB="-L$withval"], [TCLLIB=])
 
-if test "$TCLINCLUDE" = nope; then
-   if test "$TCLPACKAGE" != nope; then
+if test -z "$TCLINCLUDE"; then
+   if test -n "$TCLPACKAGE"; then
 	TCLINCLUDE="-I$TCLPACKAGE/include"
    fi
 fi
 
-if test "$TCLLIB" = nope; then
-   if test "$TCLPACKAGE" != nope; then
+if test -z "$TCLLIB"; then
+   if test -n "$TCLPACKAGE"; then
 	TCLLIB="-L$TCLPACKAGE/lib"
    fi
 fi
 
 AC_MSG_CHECKING(for Tcl header files)
-if test "$TCLINCLUDE" = nope; then
-AC_TRY_CPP([#include <tcl.h>], , TCLINCLUDE="nope")
-if test "$TCLINCLUDE" = nope; then
+if test -z "$TCLINCLUDE"; then
+AC_TRY_CPP([#include <tcl.h>], , TCLINCLUDE="")
+if test -z "$TCLINCLUDE"; then
 	dirs="$prefix/include /usr/local/include /usr/include /opt/local/include /home/sci/local/include"
 	for i in $dirs ; do
 		if test -r $i/tcl.h; then
@@ -323,7 +330,7 @@ if test "$TCLINCLUDE" = nope; then
 		fi
 	done
 fi
-if test "$TCLINCLUDE" = nope; then
+if test -z "$TCLINCLUDE"; then
 	TCLINCLUDE="-I/usr/local/include"
     	AC_MSG_RESULT(not found)
 fi
@@ -332,7 +339,7 @@ else
 fi
 
 AC_MSG_CHECKING(for Tcl library)
-if test "$TCLLIB" = nope; then
+if test -z "$TCLLIB"; then
 dirs="$prefix/lib /usr/local/lib /usr/lib /opt/local/lib /home/sci/local/lib"
 for i in $dirs ; do
 	if test -r $i/libtcl.a; then
@@ -341,7 +348,7 @@ for i in $dirs ; do
 	    break
 	fi
 done
-if test "$TCLLIB" = nope; then
+if test -z "$TCLLIB"; then
 	AC_MSG_RESULT(not found)
 	TCLLIB="-L/usr/local/lib"
 fi
@@ -356,26 +363,26 @@ AC_SUBST(TCLLIB)
 # Look for Python
 #----------------------------------------------------------------
 
-PYINCLUDE=nope
-PYLIB=nope
-PYPACKAGE=nope
+PYINCLUDE=
+PYLIB=
+PYPACKAGE=
 PYLINK="-lModules -lPython -lObjects -lParser"
 
 AC_ARG_WITH(py,[  --with-py=path          Set location of Python],[
-	PYPACKAGE="$withval"], [PYPACKAGE=nope])
+	PYPACKAGE="$withval"], [PYPACKAGE=])
 AC_ARG_WITH(pyincl,[  --with-pyincl=path      Set location of Python include directory],[
-	PYINCLUDE="$withval"], [PYINCLUDE=nope])
+	PYINCLUDE="$withval"], [PYINCLUDE=])
 AC_ARG_WITH(pylib,[  --with-pylib=path       Set location of Python library directory],[
-	PYLIB="$withval"], [PYLIB=nope])
+	PYLIB="$withval"], [PYLIB=])
 
-if test "$PYINCLUDE" = nope; then
-   if test "$PYPACKAGE" != nope; then
+if test -z "$PYINCLUDE"; then
+   if test -n "$PYPACKAGE"; then
 	PYINCLUDE="$PYPACKAGE/include"
    fi
 fi
 
-if test "$PYLIB" = nope; then
-   if test "$PYPACKAGE" != nope; then
+if test -z "$PYLIB"; then
+   if test -n "$PYPACKAGE"; then
 	PYLIB="$PYPACKAGE/lib"
    fi
 fi
@@ -391,7 +398,7 @@ for i in $dirs ; do
 		break
 	fi
 done
-if test "$PYINCLUDE" = nope; then
+if test -z "$PYINCLUDE"; then
 	PYINCLUDE="-I/usr/local/include/Py"
     	AC_MSG_RESULT(not found)
 fi
@@ -414,7 +421,7 @@ for i in $dirs ; do
 	    break
 	fi
 done
-if test "$PYLIB" = nope; then
+if test -z "$PYLIB"; then
 	AC_MSG_RESULT(not found)
 	PYLIB="/usr/local/lib/python/lib"
 	PYINCLUDE="$PYINCLUDE -I$PYLIB"
@@ -428,19 +435,19 @@ AC_SUBST(PYLINK)
 # Look for Perl5
 #----------------------------------------------------------------
 
-PERLBIN=nope
+PERLBIN=
 
-AC_ARG_WITH(perl5,[  --with-perl5=path       Set location of Perl5 executable],[ PERLBIN="$withval"], [PERLBIN=nope])
+AC_ARG_WITH(perl5,[  --with-perl5=path       Set location of Perl5 executable],[ PERLBIN="$withval"], [PERLBIN=])
 
 # First figure out what the name of Perl5 is
 
-if test "$PERLBIN" = nope; then
-AC_CHECK_PROGS(PERL, perl5.004 perl5.003 perl5.002 perl5.001 perl5 perl,nope)
+if test -z "$PERLBIN"; then
+AC_CHECK_PROGS(PERL, perl5.004 perl5.003 perl5.002 perl5.001 perl5 perl)
 else
 PERL="$PERLBIN"
 fi
 AC_MSG_CHECKING(for Perl5 header files)
-if test "$PERL" != nope; then
+if test -n "$PERL"; then
 	PERL5DIR=`($PERL -e 'use Config; print $Config{archlib};') 2>/dev/null`
 	if test "$PERL5DIR" != ""; then
 		dirs="$PERL5DIR $PERL5DIR/CORE"
@@ -471,25 +478,25 @@ AC_SUBST(PERL5EXT)
 # Look for java
 #----------------------------------------------------------------
 
-AC_ARG_WITH(java, [  --with-java=path        Set location of Java],[JAVABIN="$withval"], [JAVABIN=nope])
-AC_ARG_WITH(javac, [  --with-javac=path       Set location of Javac],[JAVACBIN="$withval"], [JAVACBIN=nope])
+AC_ARG_WITH(java, [  --with-java=path        Set location of Java],[JAVABIN="$withval"], [JAVABIN=])
+AC_ARG_WITH(javac, [  --with-javac=path       Set location of Javac],[JAVACBIN="$withval"], [JAVACBIN=])
 
-if test "$JAVABIN" = nope ; then
-  AC_CHECK_PROGS(JAVA, java kaffe guavac, nope)
+if test -z "$JAVABIN" ; then
+  AC_CHECK_PROGS(JAVA, java kaffe guavac)
 else
   JAVA="$JAVABIN"
 fi
 
-if test "$JAVACBIN" = nope ; then
-  AC_CHECK_PROGS(JAVAC, javac, nope)
+if test -z "$JAVACBIN" ; then
+  AC_CHECK_PROGS(JAVAC, javac)
 else
   JAVAC="$JAVACBIN"
 fi
 
 AC_MSG_CHECKING(for java include file jni.h)
-AC_ARG_WITH(javaincl, [  --with-javaincl=path    Set location of Java include directory], [JAVAINCDIR="$withval"], [JAVAINCDIR=nope])
+AC_ARG_WITH(javaincl, [  --with-javaincl=path    Set location of Java include directory], [JAVAINCDIR="$withval"], [JAVAINCDIR=])
 
-if test "$JAVAINCDIR" = nope; then
+if test -z "$JAVAINCDIR"; then
   JAVAINCDIR="/usr/jdk*/include /usr/local/jdk*/include /opt/jdk*/include /usr/java/include /usr/local/java/include /opt/java/include /usr/include/java /usr/local/include/java /usr/include/kaffe /usr/local/include/kaffe /usr/include /usr/local/include"
 fi
 
@@ -528,31 +535,31 @@ AC_SUBST(ROOT_DIR)ROOT_DIR=`pwd`
 # Look for Guile
 #----------------------------------------------------------------
 
-GUILEINCLUDE=nope
-GUILELIB=nope
-GUILELINK=nope
+GUILEINCLUDE=
+GUILELIB=
+GUILELINK=
 
 AC_PATH_PROG(GUILE_CONFIG, guile-config)
 
 if test -n "$GUILE_CONFIG" ; then
 
-  GUILEPACKAGE=nope
+  GUILEPACKAGE=
 
   AC_ARG_WITH(guile,[  --with-guile=path       Set location of Guile],[
-	GUILEPACKAGE="$withval"], [GUILEPACKAGE=nope])
+	GUILEPACKAGE="$withval"], [GUILEPACKAGE=])
   AC_ARG_WITH(guilencl,[  --with-guileincl=path   Set location of Guile include directory],[
-	GUILEINCLUDE="$withval"], [GUILEINCLUDE=nope])
+	GUILEINCLUDE="$withval"], [GUILEINCLUDE=])
   AC_ARG_WITH(guilelib,[  --with-guilelib=path    Set location of Guile library directory],[
-	GUILELIB="$withval"], [GUILELIB=nope])
+	GUILELIB="$withval"], [GUILELIB=])
 
-  if test "$GUILEINCLUDE" = nope; then
-     if test "$GUILEPACKAGE" != nope; then
+  if test -z "$GUILEINCLUDE"; then
+     if test -n "$GUILEPACKAGE"; then
   	GUILEINCLUDE="$GUILEPACKAGE/include"
      fi
   fi
 
-  if test "$GUILELIB" = nope; then
-     if test "$GUILEPACKAGE" != nope; then
+  if test -z "$GUILELIB"; then
+     if test -n "$GUILEPACKAGE"; then
   	GUILELIB="$GUILEPACKAGE/lib"
      fi
   fi
@@ -567,7 +574,7 @@ if test -n "$GUILE_CONFIG" ; then
   		break
   	fi
   done
-  if test "$GUILEINCLUDE" = nope; then
+  if test -z "$GUILEINCLUDE"; then
   	GUILEINCLUDE="-I/usr/local/include/guile"
       	AC_MSG_RESULT(not found)
   fi
@@ -581,7 +588,7 @@ if test -n "$GUILE_CONFIG" ; then
   	    break
   	fi
   done
-  if test "$GUILELIB" = nope; then
+  if test -z "$GUILELIB"; then
   	AC_MSG_RESULT(not found)
   	GUILELIB="/usr/local/lib"
   fi
@@ -604,19 +611,19 @@ AC_PATH_PROG(MZC, mzc)
 # Look for Ruby
 #----------------------------------------------------------------
 
-RUBYBIN=nope
+RUBYBIN=
 
-AC_ARG_WITH(ruby,[  --with-ruby=path        Set location of Ruby executable],[ RUBYBIN="$withval"], [RUBYBIN=nope])
+AC_ARG_WITH(ruby,[  --with-ruby=path        Set location of Ruby executable],[ RUBYBIN="$withval"], [RUBYBIN=])
 
 # First figure out what the name of Ruby is
 
-if test "$RUBYBIN" = nope; then
-AC_CHECK_PROGS(RUBY, ruby, nope)
+if test -z "$RUBYBIN"; then
+AC_CHECK_PROGS(RUBY, ruby)
 else
 RUBY="$RUBYBIN"
 fi
 AC_MSG_CHECKING(for Ruby header files)
-if test "$RUBY" != nope; then
+if test -n "$RUBY"; then
 	RUBYDIR=`($RUBY -rmkmf -e 'print $archdir') 2>/dev/null`
 	if test "$RUBYDIR" != ""; then
 		dirs="$RUBYDIR"