diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 0165d6f..0c064fe 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -14,10 +14,12 @@ Makefile
 configure
 config.*
 
-# should be added using automake --add-missing
+# should be added using autoreconf -i
 INSTALL
 tools/install-sh
 tools/missing
+tools/mdate-sh
+tools/texinfo.tex
 
 # downloaded manually by user
 tools/closure-compiler.jar
diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 4b54ceb..1291d01 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 ## ease.js Makefile.am
 
 # see README
+SUBDIRS = doc
 EXTRA_DIST = AUTHORS NEWS ChangeLog
 
 path_build = $(top_builddir)/build
@@ -19,8 +20,8 @@ perf_tests            = @PERF_TESTS@
 path_externs_internal = $(path_build)/externs-internal.js
 
 combine  = $(path_tools)/combine
-compiler = $(path_tools)/closure-compiler.jar
-
+compiler = @CCJAR@
+MKDIR_P = @MKDIR_P@
 
 .PHONY: mkbuild combine min doc test perf
 
@@ -31,7 +32,7 @@ mkbuild: $(path_build)
 
 # create build dir
 $(path_build):
-	mkdir -p "$(path_build)"
+	$(MKDIR_P) "$(path_build)"
 
 
 combine: $(path_combine_output) $(path_build)/browser-test.html
diff --git a/README b/README
index 23f29b2..f6969fa 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -34,10 +34,11 @@ If your distribution contains a `configure' file in the project root, you
 may jump immediately to INSTALL.
 
 Otherwise, you likely have the sources as they exist in the project
-repository, which does not contain the generature `configure' script; you
+repository, which does not contain the generated `configure' script; you
 may generate it by issuing the following commands:
 
-  $ aclocal && automake --add-missing --foreign && autoconf
+  $ autoreconf -fvi
 
-Please note that the --foreign argument is necessary to `automake' to ignore
-certain missing files (such as ChangeLog) that are generated at build time.
+Please note that certain files (such as AUTHORS, NEWS, and ChangeLog) are
+generated as part of the `dist' target and do not exist as part of the
+repository.
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index b5c7ee5..4843759 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -20,11 +20,12 @@
 
 AC_INIT([ease.js], [0.2.0-dev], [bugs@easejs.org])
 AC_CONFIG_AUX_DIR([tools])
-AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE
+AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([foreign])
 
-AC_CONFIG_FILES([Makefile])
+AC_PROG_MKDIR_P
 
 # check for node, which is required for nearly every operation
+AC_ARG_VAR([NODE], [The node.js interpreter])
 AC_CHECK_PROGS(NODE, [node nodejs])
 AM_CONDITIONAL(HAS_NODE, [test "$NODE"])
 
@@ -74,20 +75,28 @@ else
 fi
 
 # Java is used for Closure Compiler
+AC_ARG_VAR([JAVA], [The Java executable])
+AC_ARG_VAR([CCJAR], [The Clojure Compiler jar file])
 AC_CHECK_PROGS(JAVA, [java])
 AM_CONDITIONAL(HAS_JAVA, [test "$JAVA"])
 
 ccjar=
-if test "$JAVA"; then
-  AC_CHECK_FILE([tools/closure-compiler.jar], [ccjar=1], [AC_MSG_NOTICE([
+AS_IF(test "$JAVA" -a ! "$CCJAR",
+  [AC_CHECK_FILE([$srcdir/tools/closure-compiler.jar],
+        [AC_SUBST([CCJAR], [$srcdir/tools/closure-compiler.jar])],
+        [AC_MSG_NOTICE([
 
     If you wish perform minification of the combined source file, you must
-    download closure-compiler.jar into the tools directory; it is available
-    here:
+    download closure-compiler.jar into the tools sub-directory; it is
+    available here:
 
     https://developers.google.com/closure/compiler/
-  ])])
-fi
-AM_CONDITIONAL(HAS_CCJAR, [test "$ccjar"])
 
+    If it is installed elsewhere on your system, specify its location with
+    the CCJAR environment variable.
+  ])])], [])
+
+AM_CONDITIONAL(HAS_CCJAR, [test "$CCJAR"])
+
+AC_CONFIG_FILES([Makefile doc/Makefile])
 AC_OUTPUT
diff --git a/doc/.gitignore b/doc/.gitignore
index 8640841..8991c2e 100644
--- a/doc/.gitignore
+++ b/doc/.gitignore
@@ -10,3 +10,7 @@
 *.vr
 *.pdf
 *.toc
+
+version.texi
+easejs.info
+stamp-vti
diff --git a/doc/Makefile b/doc/Makefile.am
similarity index 69%
rename from doc/Makefile
rename to doc/Makefile.am
index b94291e..b374175 100644
--- a/doc/Makefile
+++ b/doc/Makefile.am
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-##
 # ease.js manual Makefile
 #
 # Responsible for building the project documentation.
@@ -21,20 +20,27 @@
 #  along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 ##
 
+info_TEXINFOS = easejs.texi
+easejs_TEXINFOS = license.texi about.texi classes.texi              \
+impl-details.texi integration.texi mkeywords.texi source-tree.texi
+
+EXTRA_DIST = README highlight.pack.js interactive.js easejs.css     \
+img/composition-uml.dia img/composition-uml.txt inheritance-ex.dia  \
+inheritance-ex.txt visobj-collection-wide.dia                       \
+visobj-collection-wide.txt visobj.dia visobj.txt
+
 path_doc=.
 path_build=../build
 path_lib=../lib
+docdir = @docdir@
 path_doc_output=${path_build}/doc
-path_doc_output_info=${path_doc_output}/easejs.info
-path_doc_output_plain=${path_doc_output}/manual.txt
-path_doc_output_html=${path_doc_output}/manual
-path_doc_output_html1=${path_doc_output}/manual.html
-path_doc_css=${path_doc}/manual.css
+path_doc_output_plain=${path_doc_output}/easejs.txt
+path_doc_output_html=${path_doc_output}/easejs
+path_doc_output_html1=${path_doc_output}/easejs.html
+path_doc_css=${path_doc}/easejs.css
 path_doc_img=${path_doc}/img
-path_doc_css_ref=manual.css
-path_manual_texi=${path_doc}/manual.texi
-
-path_info_install := /usr/local/share/info
+path_doc_css_ref=easejs.css
+path_easejs_texi=${path_doc}/easejs.texi
 
 doc_src := $(wildcard $(path_doc)/*.texi)
 doc_imgs := $(patsubst %.dia, %.png, $(wildcard $(path_doc_img)/*.dia))
@@ -44,7 +50,7 @@ doc_replace := s/<\/body>/<script type="text\/javascript" \
 	src="highlight.pack.js"><\/script><script type="text\/javascript" \
 	src="interactive.js"><\/script><\/body>/\
 	;s/\&gt\;=/\&\#8805\;/g\
-	;s/\&lt\;=/\&\#8804\;/g\
+	;s/\&lt\;=/\&\#8804\;/g
 
 .PHONY: doc mkbuild-doc img pdf info plain html
 
@@ -68,19 +74,15 @@ $(path_doc)/img/%.png: $(path_doc)/img/%.dia
 # doc pdf
 $(path_doc_output)/%.pdf: $(doc_src) $(doc_imgs) | mkbuild-doc img
 	TEXINPUTS="$(path_doc):" \
-		pdftex -output-directory "${path_doc}" "${path_manual_texi}" && \
+		pdftex -output-directory "${path_doc}" "${path_easejs_texi}" && \
 		TEXINPUTS="$(path_doc):" \
-		pdftex -output-directory "${path_doc}" "${path_manual_texi}"
+		pdftex -output-directory "${path_doc}" "${path_easejs_texi}"
 	mv -f "${path_doc}"/*.pdf "${path_doc_output}"
 	cd "$(path_doc)" && rm -f $(shell cat "$(path_doc)/.gitignore")
 
-# doc info
-$(path_doc_output_info): $(doc_src) $(doc_imgs_txt) | mkbuild-doc
-	makeinfo -I "$(path_doc)" -o $@ "$(path_manual_texi)";
-
 # doc plain text
 $(path_doc_output_plain): $(doc_imgs_txt) | mkbuild-doc
-	makeinfo --plain -I "$(path_doc)" "${path_manual_texi}" > $@
+	makeinfo --plain -I "$(path_doc)" "${path_easejs_texi}" > $@
 
 # doc html (multiple pages)
 $(path_doc_output_html)/index.html: $(doc_src) $(path_doc_css) \
@@ -88,7 +90,7 @@ $(path_doc_output_html)/index.html: $(doc_src) $(path_doc_css) \
 $(path_doc_output_html)/highlight.pack.js \
 $(path_doc_output_html)/$(path_doc_css_ref) mkbuild-doc img
 	makeinfo --html --css-ref="$(path_doc_css_ref)" \
-		-I "$(path_doc)" -o "${path_doc_output_html}" "${path_manual_texi}"
+		-I "$(path_doc)" -o "${path_doc_output_html}" "${path_easejs_texi}"
 	sed -i '$(doc_replace)' $(path_doc_output_html)/*.htm?
 
 # doc html (single page)
@@ -96,7 +98,7 @@ $(path_doc_output_html1): $(doc_src) $(path_doc_css) \
 | $(path_doc_output)/img $(path_doc_output)/interactive.js \
 $(path_doc_output)/highlight.pack.js mkbuild-doc img
 	makeinfo --no-split --html --css-include="${path_doc_css}" \
-		-I "$(path_doc)" -o - "${path_manual_texi}" \
+		-I "$(path_doc)" -o - "${path_easejs_texi}" \
 		| sed '$(doc_replace)' \
 			> "$(path_doc_output_html1)"
 
@@ -120,10 +122,21 @@ $(path_doc_output_html)/%.css: $(path_doc)/%.css
 
 
 img: $(doc_imgs)
-pdf: $(path_doc_output)/manual.pdf
-info: $(path_doc_output_info)
+pdf: $(path_doc_output)/easejs.pdf
+install-pdf: pdf
+	install -d $(DESTDIR)$(docdir)
+	install -m644 $(path_doc_output)/easejs.pdf $(DESTDIR)$(docdir)/easejs.pdf
+
 plain: $(path_doc_output_plain)
+install-plain: plain
+	install -d $(DESTDIR)$(docdir)
+	install -m644 $(path_doc_output_plain) $(DESTDIR)$(docdir)/easejs.txt
+
 html: $(path_doc_output_html)/index.html $(path_doc_output_html1)
+install-html: html
+	install -d $(DESTDIR)$(docdir)/easejs
+	install -m644 $(path_doc_output_html)/index.html $(DESTDIR)$(docdir)/easejs/index.html
+	install -m644 $(path_doc_output_html1) $(DESTDIR)$(docdir)/easejs.html
 
 clean:
 	rm -rf $(path_doc_output)
diff --git a/doc/classes.texi b/doc/classes.texi
index 4b99528..ef70071 100644
--- a/doc/classes.texi
+++ b/doc/classes.texi
@@ -511,8 +511,8 @@ One of the following conditions must always be true:
   @ref{Member Keywords,,@code{override}} keyword.
   @itemize
     @item
-    Note that @var{dfn\_n\^C'} will not become @ref{Member
-    Keywords,,@code{virtual}} by default (unlike languages such as C++); they
+    Note that @var{dfn\_n\^C'} will not become @ref{Member Keywords,,@code{virtual}}
+  by default (unlike languages such as C++); they
     must be explicitly declared as such.
   @end itemize
   @item
@@ -535,8 +535,8 @@ A method is said to be @dfn{concrete} when it provides a definition and
   Any method @var{n} such that @var{dfn\_n\^C} is declared @code{abstract} may
   be overridden by a concrete or abstract method @var{dfn\_n\^C'}.
   @item
-  A method @var{n} may @emph{not} be declared @ref{Member
-  Keywords,,@code{abstract}} if @var{dfn\_n\^C} is concrete.
+  A method @var{n} may @emph{not} be declared @ref{Member Keywords,,@code{abstract}}
+  if @var{dfn\_n\^C} is concrete.
 @end itemize
 @item
 Member @var{dfn\_n\^C'} must be a method.
diff --git a/doc/manual.css b/doc/easejs.css
similarity index 100%
rename from doc/manual.css
rename to doc/easejs.css
diff --git a/doc/manual.texi b/doc/easejs.texi
similarity index 99%
rename from doc/manual.texi
rename to doc/easejs.texi
index 4b4f713..0437efd 100644
--- a/doc/manual.texi
+++ b/doc/easejs.texi
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
 \input texinfo   @c -*-texinfo-*-
 @c %**start of header
 @setfilename manual.info
+@include version.texi
 @settitle ease.js Manual v@value{VERSION}
 @c %**end of header
 
-@include version.texi
-
 @copying
 This manual is for ease.js, version @value{VERSION}.
 
diff --git a/doc/version.texi b/doc/version.texi
deleted file mode 100644
index 3252be5..0000000
--- a/doc/version.texi
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-@c DO NOT MODIFY; generated by verset (not autoconf)
-@set VERSION 0.2.0-dev
diff --git a/tools/verset b/tools/verset
index d26f268..1ea544b 100755
--- a/tools/verset
+++ b/tools/verset
@@ -39,12 +39,6 @@ cat version.js.tpl | sed "
   s/@SUFFIX@/${suffix#-}/;
 " > ../lib/version.js
 
-# output version for docs
-cat - > ../doc/version.texi <<EOF
-@c DO NOT MODIFY; generated by verset (not autoconf)
-@set VERSION $version
-EOF
-
 # update package.json for npm
 sed -i 's/"version":.*/"version":     "'$version'",/' ../package.json