diff --git a/BUGS b/BUGS
index 2f296892..b2ca081f 100644
--- a/BUGS
+++ b/BUGS
@@ -24,8 +24,14 @@ and use with caution an Autoconf with ``Important bugs''.
 
 * Status
 
-                    /*--------------------------.
-                    | Sane for full scale use.  |
-                    `--------------------------*/
+                 /*------------------------------------.
+                 | New features need further testing.  |
+                 `------------------------------------*/
 
-* No known serious or important bugs.
+* Now that configure depends on shell functions, it is possible that
+  configure scripts may fail to run on old platforms that lack a shell
+  with proper function support.
+
+* Cygwin has known problems with named fifos that cause failures when
+  attempting parallel tests in an autotest suite.  It is possible that
+  other platforms also have difficulty with parallel testing.
diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index b115e0a4..c59bb947 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,12 @@
+2008-10-29  Eric Blake  <ebb9@byu.net>
+
+	Document current beta-quality status.
+	* configure.ac: Reflect fact that change to git-version-gen
+	produces -, but not always a letter, on non-release builds.
+	* BUGS: Mention known issues.
+	* lib/m4sugar/m4sh.m4 (_AS_DETECT_BETTER_SHELL): Ask for help in
+	debugging platforms with deficient shells.
+
 2008-10-29  Eric Blake  <ebb9@byu.net>
 
 	Alter signature of AS_INIT_GENERATED.
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index d4f19083..a5fcad0a 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ AC_CONFIG_FILES([Makefile doc/Makefile
 
 AC_OUTPUT
 # Report the state of this version of Autoconf if this is a beta.
-m4_bmatch(m4_defn([AC_PACKAGE_VERSION]),  [[a-z]],
+m4_bmatch(m4_defn([AC_PACKAGE_VERSION]), [[-a-z]],
 [    cat <<EOF
 
 You are about to use an experimental version of Autoconf.  Be sure to
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ read the relevant mailing lists, most importantly <autoconf@gnu.org>.
 
 Below you will find information on the status of this version of Autoconf.
 
-
 EOF
     sed -n '/^\* Status/,$p' $srcdir/BUGS
+echo
 ])dnl
diff --git a/lib/m4sugar/m4sh.m4 b/lib/m4sugar/m4sh.m4
index 187920c1..a9b6aec0 100644
--- a/lib/m4sugar/m4sh.m4
+++ b/lib/m4sugar/m4sh.m4
@@ -236,11 +236,16 @@ dnl Remove any tests from suggested that are also required
 	export CONFIG_SHELL
 	exec "$CONFIG_SHELL" "$as_myself" ${1+"$[@]"}])
 
+dnl Unfortunately, $as_me isn't available here.
     AS_IF([test x$as_have_required = xno],
-      [echo This script requires a shell more modern than all the
-      echo shells that I found on your system.  Please install a
-      echo modern shell, or manually run the script under such a
-      echo shell if you do have one.
+      [AS_ECHO("m4_text_wrap([This script requires a shell more modern than
+all the shells that I found on your system.  Please tell]
+m4_defn([m4_PACKAGE_BUGREPORT])
+m4_ifset([AC_PACKAGE_BUGREPORT], [m4_if(m4_defn([m4_PACKAGE_BUGREPORT]),
+m4_defn([AC_PACKAGE_BUGREPORT]), [], [ and m4_defn([AC_PACKAGE_BUGREPORT])])])
+[about your system, including any error possibly output before this message.
+Then install a modern shell, or manually run the script under such a
+shell if you do have one.], [$[]0: ], [], [62])")
       AS_EXIT(1)])])
 fi
 _m4_popdef([AS_EXIT])])# _AS_DETECT_BETTER_SHELL