diff --git a/m4/ax_boost_base.m4 b/m4/ax_boost_base.m4
index 7a9da6d07..ac9ee75ec 100644
--- a/m4/ax_boost_base.m4
+++ b/m4/ax_boost_base.m4
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 # ===========================================================================
-#          http://www.nongnu.org/autoconf-archive/ax_boost_base.html
+#       http://www.gnu.org/software/autoconf-archive/ax_boost_base.html
 # ===========================================================================
 #
 # SYNOPSIS
 #
-#   AX_BOOST_BASE([MINIMUM-VERSION])
+#   AX_BOOST_BASE([MINIMUM-VERSION], [ACTION-IF-FOUND], [ACTION-IF-NOT-FOUND])
 #
 # DESCRIPTION
 #
@@ -23,40 +23,45 @@
 #
 #     HAVE_BOOST
 #
-#   EDIT: 2009-09-07 Cristian Greco <cristian.debian@gmail.com>
-#     - Call AC_SUBST(BOOST_VERSION).
-#
 # LICENSE
 #
 #   Copyright (c) 2008 Thomas Porschberg <thomas@randspringer.de>
+#   Copyright (c) 2009 Peter Adolphs
 #
 #   Copying and distribution of this file, with or without modification, are
 #   permitted in any medium without royalty provided the copyright notice
-#   and this notice are preserved.
+#   and this notice are preserved. This file is offered as-is, without any
+#   warranty.
+
+#serial 22
 
 AC_DEFUN([AX_BOOST_BASE],
 [
 AC_ARG_WITH([boost],
-	AS_HELP_STRING([--with-boost@<:@=DIR@:>@], [use boost (default is yes) - it is possible to specify the root directory for boost (optional)]),
-	[
-    if test "x$withval" = "xno"; then
-		want_boost="no"
-    elif test "x$withval" = "xyes"; then
+  [AS_HELP_STRING([--with-boost@<:@=ARG@:>@],
+    [use Boost library from a standard location (ARG=yes),
+     from the specified location (ARG=<path>),
+     or disable it (ARG=no)
+     @<:@ARG=yes@:>@ ])],
+    [
+    if test "$withval" = "no"; then
+        want_boost="no"
+    elif test "$withval" = "yes"; then
         want_boost="yes"
         ac_boost_path=""
     else
-	    want_boost="yes"
+        want_boost="yes"
         ac_boost_path="$withval"
-	fi
+    fi
     ],
     [want_boost="yes"])
 
 
 AC_ARG_WITH([boost-libdir],
         AS_HELP_STRING([--with-boost-libdir=LIB_DIR],
-        [Force given directory for boost libraries. Note that this will overwrite library path detection, so use this parameter only if default library detection fails and you know exactly where your boost libraries are located.]),
+        [Force given directory for boost libraries. Note that this will override library path detection, so use this parameter only if default library detection fails and you know exactly where your boost libraries are located.]),
         [
-        if test -d $withval
+        if test -d "$withval"
         then
                 ac_boost_lib_path="$withval"
         else
@@ -67,158 +72,196 @@ AC_ARG_WITH([boost-libdir],
 )
 
 if test "x$want_boost" = "xyes"; then
-	boost_lib_version_req=ifelse([$1], ,1.20.0,$1)
-	boost_lib_version_req_shorten=`expr $boost_lib_version_req : '\([[0-9]]*\.[[0-9]]*\)'`
-	boost_lib_version_req_major=`expr $boost_lib_version_req : '\([[0-9]]*\)'`
-	boost_lib_version_req_minor=`expr $boost_lib_version_req : '[[0-9]]*\.\([[0-9]]*\)'`
-	boost_lib_version_req_sub_minor=`expr $boost_lib_version_req : '[[0-9]]*\.[[0-9]]*\.\([[0-9]]*\)'`
-	if test "x$boost_lib_version_req_sub_minor" = "x" ; then
-		boost_lib_version_req_sub_minor="0"
-    	fi
-	WANT_BOOST_VERSION=`expr $boost_lib_version_req_major \* 100000 \+  $boost_lib_version_req_minor \* 100 \+ $boost_lib_version_req_sub_minor`
-	AC_MSG_CHECKING(for boostlib >= $boost_lib_version_req)
-	succeeded=no
+    boost_lib_version_req=ifelse([$1], ,1.20.0,$1)
+    boost_lib_version_req_shorten=`expr $boost_lib_version_req : '\([[0-9]]*\.[[0-9]]*\)'`
+    boost_lib_version_req_major=`expr $boost_lib_version_req : '\([[0-9]]*\)'`
+    boost_lib_version_req_minor=`expr $boost_lib_version_req : '[[0-9]]*\.\([[0-9]]*\)'`
+    boost_lib_version_req_sub_minor=`expr $boost_lib_version_req : '[[0-9]]*\.[[0-9]]*\.\([[0-9]]*\)'`
+    if test "x$boost_lib_version_req_sub_minor" = "x" ; then
+        boost_lib_version_req_sub_minor="0"
+        fi
+    WANT_BOOST_VERSION=`expr $boost_lib_version_req_major \* 100000 \+  $boost_lib_version_req_minor \* 100 \+ $boost_lib_version_req_sub_minor`
+    AC_MSG_CHECKING(for boostlib >= $boost_lib_version_req)
+    succeeded=no
 
-	dnl first we check the system location for boost libraries
-	dnl this location ist chosen if boost libraries are installed with the --layout=system option
-	dnl or if you install boost with RPM
-	if test "x$ac_boost_path" != "x"; then
-		BOOST_LDFLAGS="-L$ac_boost_path/lib"
-		BOOST_CPPFLAGS="-I$ac_boost_path/include"
-	else
-		for ac_boost_path_tmp in /usr /usr/local /opt /opt/local ; do
-			if test -d "$ac_boost_path_tmp/include/boost" && test -r "$ac_boost_path_tmp/include/boost"; then
-				BOOST_LDFLAGS="-L$ac_boost_path_tmp/lib"
-				BOOST_CPPFLAGS="-I$ac_boost_path_tmp/include"
-        BOOST_VERSION=`grep "define BOOST_LIB_VERSION" $ac_boost_path_tmp/include/boost/version.hpp | sed 's,^.*\"\([[0-9]][[_0-9]]*\)\"$,\1, ; s,_0$,, ; s,_,.,'`
-				break;
-			fi
-		done
-	fi
+    dnl On 64-bit systems check for system libraries in both lib64 and lib.
+    dnl The former is specified by FHS, but e.g. Debian does not adhere to
+    dnl this (as it rises problems for generic multi-arch support).
+    dnl The last entry in the list is chosen by default when no libraries
+    dnl are found, e.g. when only header-only libraries are installed!
+    libsubdirs="lib"
+    ax_arch=`uname -m`
+    case $ax_arch in
+      x86_64|ppc64|s390x|sparc64|aarch64)
+        libsubdirs="lib64 lib lib64"
+        ;;
+    esac
+
+    dnl allow for real multi-arch paths e.g. /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu. Give
+    dnl them priority over the other paths since, if libs are found there, they
+    dnl are almost assuredly the ones desired.
+    AC_REQUIRE([AC_CANONICAL_HOST])
+    libsubdirs="lib/${host_cpu}-${host_os} $libsubdirs"
+
+    dnl first we check the system location for boost libraries
+    dnl this location ist chosen if boost libraries are installed with the --layout=system option
+    dnl or if you install boost with RPM
+    if test "$ac_boost_path" != ""; then
+        BOOST_CPPFLAGS="-I$ac_boost_path/include"
+        for ac_boost_path_tmp in $libsubdirs; do
+                if test -d "$ac_boost_path"/"$ac_boost_path_tmp" ; then
+                        BOOST_LDFLAGS="-L$ac_boost_path/$ac_boost_path_tmp"
+                        break
+                fi
+        done
+    elif test "$cross_compiling" != yes; then
+        for ac_boost_path_tmp in /usr /usr/local /opt /opt/local ; do
+            if test -d "$ac_boost_path_tmp/include/boost" && test -r "$ac_boost_path_tmp/include/boost"; then
+                for libsubdir in $libsubdirs ; do
+                    if ls "$ac_boost_path_tmp/$libsubdir/libboost_"* >/dev/null 2>&1 ; then break; fi
+                done
+                BOOST_LDFLAGS="-L$ac_boost_path_tmp/$libsubdir"
+                BOOST_CPPFLAGS="-I$ac_boost_path_tmp/include"
+                break;
+            fi
+        done
+    fi
 
     dnl overwrite ld flags if we have required special directory with
     dnl --with-boost-libdir parameter
-    if test "x$ac_boost_lib_path" != "x"; then
+    if test "$ac_boost_lib_path" != ""; then
        BOOST_LDFLAGS="-L$ac_boost_lib_path"
     fi
 
-	CPPFLAGS_SAVED="$CPPFLAGS"
-	CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS $BOOST_CPPFLAGS"
-	export CPPFLAGS
+    CPPFLAGS_SAVED="$CPPFLAGS"
+    CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS $BOOST_CPPFLAGS"
+    export CPPFLAGS
 
-	LDFLAGS_SAVED="$LDFLAGS"
-	LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS $BOOST_LDFLAGS"
-	export LDFLAGS
+    LDFLAGS_SAVED="$LDFLAGS"
+    LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS $BOOST_LDFLAGS"
+    export LDFLAGS
 
-	AC_LANG_PUSH(C++)
-     	AC_COMPILE_IFELSE([AC_LANG_PROGRAM([[
-	@%:@include <boost/version.hpp>
-	]], [[
-	#if BOOST_VERSION >= $WANT_BOOST_VERSION
-	// Everything is okay
-	#else
-	#  error Boost version is too old
-	#endif
-	]])],[
+    AC_REQUIRE([AC_PROG_CXX])
+    AC_LANG_PUSH(C++)
+        AC_COMPILE_IFELSE([AC_LANG_PROGRAM([[
+    @%:@include <boost/version.hpp>
+    ]], [[
+    #if BOOST_VERSION >= $WANT_BOOST_VERSION
+    // Everything is okay
+    #else
+    #  error Boost version is too old
+    #endif
+    ]])],[
         AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
-	succeeded=yes
-	found_system=yes
-       	],[
-       	])
-	AC_LANG_POP([C++])
+    succeeded=yes
+    found_system=yes
+        ],[
+        ])
+    AC_LANG_POP([C++])
 
 
 
-	dnl if we found no boost with system layout we search for boost libraries
-	dnl built and installed without the --layout=system option or for a staged(not installed) version
-	if test "x$succeeded" != "xyes"; then
-		_version=0
-		if test "x$ac_boost_path" != "x"; then
-			if test -d "$ac_boost_path" && test -r "$ac_boost_path"; then
-				for i in `ls -d $ac_boost_path/include/boost-* 2>/dev/null`; do
-					_version_tmp=`echo $i | sed "s#$ac_boost_path##" | sed 's/\/include\/boost-//' | sed 's/_/./'`
-					V_CHECK=`expr $_version_tmp \> $_version`
-					if test "$V_CHECK" = "1" ; then
-						_version=$_version_tmp
-					fi
-					VERSION_UNDERSCORE=`echo $_version | sed 's/\./_/'`
-					BOOST_CPPFLAGS="-I$ac_boost_path/include/boost-$VERSION_UNDERSCORE"
-				done
-			fi
-		else
-			for ac_boost_path in /usr /usr/local /opt /opt/local ; do
-				if test -d "$ac_boost_path" && test -r "$ac_boost_path"; then
-					for i in `ls -d $ac_boost_path/include/boost-* 2>/dev/null`; do
-						_version_tmp=`echo $i | sed "s#$ac_boost_path##" | sed 's/\/include\/boost-//' | sed 's/_/./'`
-						V_CHECK=`expr $_version_tmp \> $_version`
-						if test "$V_CHECK" = "1" ; then
-							_version=$_version_tmp
-	               					best_path=$ac_boost_path
-						fi
-					done
-				fi
-			done
+    dnl if we found no boost with system layout we search for boost libraries
+    dnl built and installed without the --layout=system option or for a staged(not installed) version
+    if test "x$succeeded" != "xyes"; then
+        _version=0
+        if test "$ac_boost_path" != ""; then
+            if test -d "$ac_boost_path" && test -r "$ac_boost_path"; then
+                for i in `ls -d $ac_boost_path/include/boost-* 2>/dev/null`; do
+                    _version_tmp=`echo $i | sed "s#$ac_boost_path##" | sed 's/\/include\/boost-//' | sed 's/_/./'`
+                    V_CHECK=`expr $_version_tmp \> $_version`
+                    if test "$V_CHECK" = "1" ; then
+                        _version=$_version_tmp
+                    fi
+                    VERSION_UNDERSCORE=`echo $_version | sed 's/\./_/'`
+                    BOOST_CPPFLAGS="-I$ac_boost_path/include/boost-$VERSION_UNDERSCORE"
+                done
+            fi
+        else
+            if test "$cross_compiling" != yes; then
+                for ac_boost_path in /usr /usr/local /opt /opt/local ; do
+                    if test -d "$ac_boost_path" && test -r "$ac_boost_path"; then
+                        for i in `ls -d $ac_boost_path/include/boost-* 2>/dev/null`; do
+                            _version_tmp=`echo $i | sed "s#$ac_boost_path##" | sed 's/\/include\/boost-//' | sed 's/_/./'`
+                            V_CHECK=`expr $_version_tmp \> $_version`
+                            if test "$V_CHECK" = "1" ; then
+                                _version=$_version_tmp
+                                best_path=$ac_boost_path
+                            fi
+                        done
+                    fi
+                done
 
-			VERSION_UNDERSCORE=`echo $_version | sed 's/\./_/'`
-			BOOST_CPPFLAGS="-I$best_path/include/boost-$VERSION_UNDERSCORE"
-            if test "x$ac_boost_lib_path" = "x"
-            then
-               BOOST_LDFLAGS="-L$best_path/lib"
+                VERSION_UNDERSCORE=`echo $_version | sed 's/\./_/'`
+                BOOST_CPPFLAGS="-I$best_path/include/boost-$VERSION_UNDERSCORE"
+                if test "$ac_boost_lib_path" = ""; then
+                    for libsubdir in $libsubdirs ; do
+                        if ls "$best_path/$libsubdir/libboost_"* >/dev/null 2>&1 ; then break; fi
+                    done
+                    BOOST_LDFLAGS="-L$best_path/$libsubdir"
+                fi
             fi
 
-	    		if test "x$BOOST_ROOT" != "x"; then
-				if test -d "$BOOST_ROOT" && test -r "$BOOST_ROOT" && test -d "$BOOST_ROOT/stage/lib" && test -r "$BOOST_ROOT/stage/lib"; then
-					version_dir=`expr //$BOOST_ROOT : '.*/\(.*\)'`
-					stage_version=`echo $version_dir | sed 's/boost_//' | sed 's/_/./g'`
-			        	stage_version_shorten=`expr $stage_version : '\([[0-9]]*\.[[0-9]]*\)'`
-					V_CHECK=`expr $stage_version_shorten \>\= $_version`
-                    if test "$V_CHECK" = "1" -a "x$ac_boost_lib_path" = "x" ; then
-						AC_MSG_NOTICE(We will use a staged boost library from $BOOST_ROOT)
-						BOOST_CPPFLAGS="-I$BOOST_ROOT"
-						BOOST_LDFLAGS="-L$BOOST_ROOT/stage/lib"
-					fi
-				fi
-	    		fi
-		fi
+            if test "x$BOOST_ROOT" != "x"; then
+                for libsubdir in $libsubdirs ; do
+                    if ls "$BOOST_ROOT/stage/$libsubdir/libboost_"* >/dev/null 2>&1 ; then break; fi
+                done
+                if test -d "$BOOST_ROOT" && test -r "$BOOST_ROOT" && test -d "$BOOST_ROOT/stage/$libsubdir" && test -r "$BOOST_ROOT/stage/$libsubdir"; then
+                    version_dir=`expr //$BOOST_ROOT : '.*/\(.*\)'`
+                    stage_version=`echo $version_dir | sed 's/boost_//' | sed 's/_/./g'`
+                        stage_version_shorten=`expr $stage_version : '\([[0-9]]*\.[[0-9]]*\)'`
+                    V_CHECK=`expr $stage_version_shorten \>\= $_version`
+                    if test "$V_CHECK" = "1" -a "$ac_boost_lib_path" = "" ; then
+                        AC_MSG_NOTICE(We will use a staged boost library from $BOOST_ROOT)
+                        BOOST_CPPFLAGS="-I$BOOST_ROOT"
+                        BOOST_LDFLAGS="-L$BOOST_ROOT/stage/$libsubdir"
+                    fi
+                fi
+            fi
+        fi
 
-		CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS $BOOST_CPPFLAGS"
-		export CPPFLAGS
-		LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS $BOOST_LDFLAGS"
-		export LDFLAGS
+        CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS $BOOST_CPPFLAGS"
+        export CPPFLAGS
+        LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS $BOOST_LDFLAGS"
+        export LDFLAGS
 
-		AC_LANG_PUSH(C++)
-	     	AC_COMPILE_IFELSE([AC_LANG_PROGRAM([[
-		@%:@include <boost/version.hpp>
-		]], [[
-		#if BOOST_VERSION >= $WANT_BOOST_VERSION
-		// Everything is okay
-		#else
-		#  error Boost version is too old
-		#endif
-		]])],[
-        	AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
-		succeeded=yes
-		found_system=yes
-       		],[
-	       	])
-		AC_LANG_POP([C++])
-	fi
+        AC_LANG_PUSH(C++)
+            AC_COMPILE_IFELSE([AC_LANG_PROGRAM([[
+        @%:@include <boost/version.hpp>
+        ]], [[
+        #if BOOST_VERSION >= $WANT_BOOST_VERSION
+        // Everything is okay
+        #else
+        #  error Boost version is too old
+        #endif
+        ]])],[
+            AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
+        succeeded=yes
+        found_system=yes
+            ],[
+            ])
+        AC_LANG_POP([C++])
+    fi
 
-	if test "x$succeeded" != "xyes" ; then
-		if test "$_version" = "0" ; then
-			AC_MSG_ERROR([[We could not detect the boost libraries (version $boost_lib_version_req_shorten or higher). If you have a staged boost library (still not installed) please specify \$BOOST_ROOT in your environment and do not give a PATH to --with-boost option.  If you are sure you have boost installed, then check your version number looking in <boost/version.hpp>. See http://randspringer.de/boost for more documentation.]])
-		else
-			AC_MSG_NOTICE([Your boost libraries seems to old (version $_version).])
-		fi
-	else
-		AC_SUBST(BOOST_CPPFLAGS)
-		AC_SUBST(BOOST_LDFLAGS)
-    AC_SUBST(BOOST_VERSION)
-		AC_DEFINE(HAVE_BOOST,[1],[define if the Boost library is available])
-	fi
+    if test "$succeeded" != "yes" ; then
+        if test "$_version" = "0" ; then
+            AC_MSG_NOTICE([[We could not detect the boost libraries (version $boost_lib_version_req_shorten or higher). If you have a staged boost library (still not installed) please specify \$BOOST_ROOT in your environment and do not give a PATH to --with-boost option.  If you are sure you have boost installed, then check your version number looking in <boost/version.hpp>. See http://randspringer.de/boost for more documentation.]])
+        else
+            AC_MSG_NOTICE([Your boost libraries seems to old (version $_version).])
+        fi
+        # execute ACTION-IF-NOT-FOUND (if present):
+        ifelse([$3], , :, [$3])
+    else
+        AC_SUBST(BOOST_CPPFLAGS)
+        AC_SUBST(BOOST_LDFLAGS)
+        AC_DEFINE(HAVE_BOOST,,[define if the Boost library is available])
+        # execute ACTION-IF-FOUND (if present):
+        ifelse([$2], , :, [$2])
+    fi
 
-        CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS_SAVED"
-       	LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS_SAVED"
+    CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS_SAVED"
+    LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS_SAVED"
 fi
 
 ])
+