As someone who is just getting started in the whole GNU autotools world, I think "keeping libtool outside of automake" is one of the things that make it difficult to learn GNU autotools. I like Ralf Wildenhues's option #3 very much.
Besides the fact that not all libtooled projects choose to use automake, keeping the libtool component outside of automake ensures that automake can continue to make releases on a timely schedule.
Bob ====================================== Bob Friesenhahn [EMAIL PROTECTED], http://www.simplesystems.org/users/bfriesen/ GraphicsMagick Maintainer, http://www.GraphicsMagick.org/