autoconf: Autoconf now quotes 'like this' instead of `like this'

https://github.com/libsdl-org/autoconf/commit/64df9b4523fe3b3c5d6e444fb65b1d92fc5073ce

From 64df9b4523fe3b3c5d6e444fb65b1d92fc5073ce Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Paul Eggert <[EMAIL REDACTED]>
Date: Tue, 20 Jul 2021 16:01:43 -0500
Subject: [PATCH] Autoconf now quotes 'like this' instead of `like this'
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

Autoconf’s diagnostics now follow current GNU coding standards,
which say that diagnostics in the C locale should quote 'like this'
with plain apostrophes instead of the older GNU style `like this'
with grave accent and apostrophe.
---
 BUGS                                      |   4 +-
 HACKING                                   |  22 +--
 Makefile.am                               |   4 +-
 NEWS                                      | 142 +++++++++---------
 README                                    |   2 +-
 README-hacking                            |   4 +-
 THANKS                                    |   2 +-
 TODO                                      |  20 +--
 bin/autoupdate.in                         |   2 +-
 configure.ac                              |   6 +-
 doc/autoconf.texi                         |  38 ++---
 lib/Autom4te/C4che.pm                     |   2 +-
 lib/Autom4te/General.pm                   |  12 +-
 lib/Autom4te/Request.pm                   |   2 +-
 lib/autoconf/autoconf.m4                  |   2 +-
 lib/autoconf/autoheader.m4                |   6 +-
 lib/autoconf/autoscan.m4                  |   2 +-
 lib/autoconf/autoupdate.m4                |   8 +-
 lib/autoconf/c.m4                         |  46 +++---
 lib/autoconf/fortran.m4                   |  24 +--
 lib/autoconf/functions.m4                 |  92 ++++++------
 lib/autoconf/general.m4                   | 170 +++++++++++-----------
 lib/autoconf/headers.m4                   |  44 +++---
 lib/autoconf/lang.m4                      |  56 +++----
 lib/autoconf/libs.m4                      |  20 +--
 lib/autoconf/programs.m4                  |  40 ++---
 lib/autoconf/specific.m4                  |  10 +-
 lib/autoconf/status.m4                    | 138 +++++++++---------
 lib/autoconf/types.m4                     | 146 +++++++++----------
 lib/autotest/general.m4                   | 110 +++++++-------
 lib/freeze.mk                             |   6 +-
 lib/m4sugar/m4sh.m4                       | 122 ++++++++--------
 lib/m4sugar/m4sugar.m4                    | 128 ++++++++--------
 tests/autotest.at                         |  14 +-
 tests/base.at                             |  10 +-
 tests/c.at                                |   6 +-
 tests/compile.at                          |  16 +-
 tests/data/ax_prog_cc_for_build_v18.m4    |   2 +-
 tests/data/gnulib_std_gnu11_2020_08_17.m4 |   6 +-
 tests/fortran.at                          |   4 +-
 tests/local.at                            |  50 +++----
 tests/m4sh.at                             |  22 +--
 tests/m4sugar.at                          |  10 +-
 tests/semantics.at                        |  30 ++--
 tests/suite.at                            |   6 +-
 tests/tools.at                            |  60 ++++----
 tests/torture.at                          |  58 ++++----
 tests/wrapper.as                          |   2 +-
 48 files changed, 866 insertions(+), 862 deletions(-)

diff --git a/BUGS b/BUGS
index 7a19bf58..cea260c2 100644
--- a/BUGS
+++ b/BUGS
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ file before using Autoconf, and especially git versions of Autoconf.
 	the copyright notice and this notice are preserved.  This file is
 	offered as-is, without warranty of any kind.
 
-Autoconf must not be used in production if there are ``Serious'' bugs,
-and use with caution an Autoconf with ``Important bugs''.
+Autoconf must not be used in production if there are "Serious" bugs,
+and use with caution an Autoconf with "Important bugs".
 
 * Status
 
diff --git a/HACKING b/HACKING
index e3708bc2..36932f19 100644
--- a/HACKING
+++ b/HACKING
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ to be written instead?).
 Make sure that a fresh checkout of Autoconf can be bootstrapped using
 the previous stable release of Autoconf.  In other words, do not use
 newly-added features in configure.ac if doing so would require an
-installed git checkout to rerun `autoreconf -i' successfully.
+installed git checkout to rerun 'autoreconf -i' successfully.
 
 * Test suite
 
@@ -48,12 +48,12 @@ Use liberally.
 Try to run the test suite with more severe conditions before a
 release:
 
-- Run `make syntax-check'
+- Run 'make syntax-check'
   This makes sure that the source files follow some consistent rules.
   The checks live in maint.mk, shared from gnulib, and customized in
   cfg.mk.
 
-- Run `make distcheck' and `make maintainer-check'.
+- Run 'make distcheck' and 'make maintainer-check'.
 
 - Try some real world packages
   A good example is the coreutils package.
@@ -96,28 +96,28 @@ hints on the testsuite.  If needed, update cfg.mk with details
 specific to your environment, such as the location of a gnulib checkout.
 
 ** Update the foreign files
-Running `make fetch' in the top level should grab it all for you; you
+Running 'make fetch' in the top level should grab it all for you; you
 should check the results before committing them in git.
 
 ** Set the version number
 Update the version number in NEWS (with version, date, and release
-type).  Make sure all changes are committed, then run `git tag -s -m
+type).  Make sure all changes are committed, then run 'git tag -s -m
 <version> -u <gpg_key> v<version>'.  Do not push anything upstream at
 this point.
 
 ** Update configure
 As much as possible, make sure to release an Autoconf that uses
 itself.  That's easy: just be in the top level, and run
-`tests/autoconf'.  Or install this autoconf and run `autoreconf -f'.
+'tests/autoconf'.  Or install this autoconf and run 'autoreconf -f'.
 
 ** Make the release
-Run `make {alpha,beta,stable}' depending on which type of release this
+Run 'make {alpha,beta,stable}' depending on which type of release this
 is.  This runs the various checks, creates delta files, creates a
 preliminary announcement in ~/announce-autoconf-<version>, prints
 out the command to upload the files, and updates the previous version
 file.
 
-If it fails, run `git tag -d v<version>', fix the problems, and go
+If it fails, run 'git tag -d v<version>', fix the problems, and go
 back to the step of setting the version.
 
 ** Upload
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ that the files are correctly uploaded before sending a release
 announcement.
 
 ** Push the updates
-Run `git push origin refs/tags/v<version>' to push the release tag.
+Run 'git push origin refs/tags/v<version>' to push the release tag.
 
 ** Announce
 Complete/fix the announcement file, and email it at least to
@@ -139,9 +139,9 @@ also mail to platform-testers@gnu.org.
 For alpha and beta releases, the process is complete.  For stable
 releases, there are several other web pages that need updates.
 
-Update the online manual: Run `make web-manual', then copy the
+Update the online manual: Run 'make web-manual', then copy the
 contents of doc/manual into a CVS checkout of the documentation
-repository.  Remember to use `cvs add -ko' so that RCS keywords in the
+repository.  Remember to use 'cvs add -ko' so that RCS keywords in the
 generated output do not get expanded improperly.
   $ export CVS_RSH=ssh
   $ cvs -z3 -d:ext:<user>@cvs.sv.gnu.org:/web/autoconf co autoconf
diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 17e1f8f4..2ea1dc15 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -70,15 +70,13 @@ MAINTAINERCLEANFILES += $(srcdir)/INSTALL
 
 # Don't leave blank line at end of file.
 OMIT_TRAILING_EMPTY_LINES = '/^$$/H; /^$$/d; x; s/\n//p; s/\n*//; x'
-# Prefer 'plain quotes' over `makeinfo quotes'.
-CONVERT_QUOTES = "s/\`\([^']*\)'/'\1'/g"
 
 $(srcdir)/INSTALL: $(top_srcdir)/doc/install.texi
 	echo @firstparagraphindent insert				\
 	  | cat - $(top_srcdir)/doc/install.texi > tmp.texi
 	$(MAKEINFO) $(custom_MAKEINFOFLAGS) $(MAKEINFOFLAGS)		\
 	     --plaintext tmp.texi					\
-	  | sed -e $(CONVERT_QUOTES) -e $(OMIT_TRAILING_EMPTY_LINES)	\
+	  | sed -e $(OMIT_TRAILING_EMPTY_LINES)				\
 	     > $@-t && mv $@-t $@
 	rm -f tmp.texi
 endif
diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 8b4f9d64..3c50ff8a 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -5,6 +5,14 @@ GNU Autoconf NEWS - User visible changes.
 ** Backward incompatibilities
 ** New features
 ** Obsolete features and new warnings
+
+*** Autoconf now quotes 'like this' instead of `like this'.
+
+  Autoconf’s diagnostics now follow current GNU coding standards,
+  which say that diagnostics in the C locale should quote 'like this'
+  with plain apostrophes instead of the older GNU style `like this'
+  with grave accent and apostrophe.
+
 ** Notable bug fixes
 
 * Noteworthy changes in release 2.71 (2021-01-28) [stable]
@@ -544,7 +552,7 @@ GNU Autoconf NEWS - User visible changes.
   Released by Eric Blake, based on git versions 2.67.*.
 
 ** AC_MSG_ERROR (and AS_ERROR) can once again be followed immediately by
-   `dnl'.  Regression introduced in 2.66.
+   'dnl'.  Regression introduced in 2.66.
 
 ** AC_INIT again allows URLs with '?' for its BUG-REPORT argument.
    Regression introduced in 2.66.
@@ -626,7 +634,7 @@ GNU Autoconf NEWS - User visible changes.
 ** The macros AC_TYPE_INT8_T, AC_TYPE_INT16_T, AC_TYPE_INT32_T, and
    AC_TYPE_INT64_T work again.  Regression introduced in 2.65.
 
-** AC_PROG_INSTALL correctly uses `shtool' again.  Regression introduced
+** AC_PROG_INSTALL correctly uses 'shtool' again.  Regression introduced
    in 2.64.
 
 ** Autoconf should work on EBCDIC hosts.
@@ -639,8 +647,8 @@ GNU Autoconf NEWS - User visible changes.
 ** Autotest testsuites accept an option --recheck to rerun tests that
    failed or passed unexpectedly during the last non-debug testsuite run.
 
-** AC_ARG_ENABLE and AC_ARG_WITH now also accept `+' signs in `--enable-*'
-   and `--with-*' arguments, converting them to underscores for the variable
+** AC_ARG_ENABLE and AC_ARG_WITH now also accept '+' signs in '--enable-*'
+   and '--with-*' arguments, converting them to underscores for the variable
    names.
 
 ** In configure scripts, loading CONFIG_SITE no longer searches PATH,
@@ -712,7 +720,7 @@ GNU Autoconf NEWS - User visible changes.
    this gives the intuitive behavior of "[b c]" in the output (2.63
    gave the output of "[b], [c]", and 2.64 encountered a failure).
 
-** The `$tmp' temporary directory used in config.status is documented for
+** The '$tmp' temporary directory used in config.status is documented for
    public use now.
 
 ** config.status now provides a --config option to produce the configuration.
@@ -799,7 +807,7 @@ GNU Autoconf NEWS - User visible changes.
 
 ** AC_INIT now takes an optional fifth parameter that can be used to
    set AC_PACKAGE_URL, a URL for the package's home page; the URL is
-   used in `configure --help' and is also available via AC_DEFINE.
+   used in 'configure --help' and is also available via AC_DEFINE.
 
 ** Autotest testsuites accept an option --jobs[=N] for parallel testing.
    This feature is still in testing, and may not work on every
@@ -817,7 +825,7 @@ GNU Autoconf NEWS - User visible changes.
    providing a fourth parameter to AC_CHECK_HEADER/AC_CHECK_HEADERS.
 
 ** Autoreconf added aclocal to the set of programs affected by the
-   `autoreconf -I dir' option.
+   'autoreconf -I dir' option.
 
 ** The following documented m4sugar macros are new:
    m4_chomp  m4_chomp_all  m4_cleardivert  m4_curry  m4_default_quoted
@@ -836,7 +844,7 @@ GNU Autoconf NEWS - User visible changes.
    internally in more places, such as AC_DEFINE and AT_CHECK.  Most
    uses of AC_DEFINE and AT_CHECK should not behave any differently;
    however, it may be necessary to add double-quoting around
-   unbalanced `(' where single-quoting used to be sufficient.
+   unbalanced '(' where single-quoting used to be sufficient.
 
 ** The following documented m4sh macros are new:
    AS_INIT_GENERATED  AS_LINENO_PREPARE  AS_ME_PREPARE  AS_SET_STATUS
@@ -917,7 +925,7 @@ GNU Autoconf NEWS - User visible changes.
    AT_KEYWORDS([m4_if([$1], [], [default])]) no longer complains about
    the possibly unexpanded m4_if [regression introduced in 2.62].
 
-** Config header templates `#undef UNDEFINED /* comment */' do not lead to
+** Config header templates '#undef UNDEFINED /* comment */' do not lead to
    nested comments any more; regression introduced in 2.62.
 
 
@@ -935,7 +943,7 @@ GNU Autoconf NEWS - User visible changes.
      Further, for config headers, the total size of values is not limited by
      the POSIX length limit of text lines any more, only each single line.
 
-** New config variable `top_build_prefix'.
+** New config variable 'top_build_prefix'.
 
 ** New Autoconf macros:
    AC_AUTOCONF_VERSION  AC_OPENMP  AC_PATH_PROGS_FEATURE_CHECK
@@ -989,7 +997,7 @@ GNU Autoconf NEWS - User visible changes.
    command './configure --prefix=/usr/' will still result in an
    expanded libdir value of /usr/lib, not /usr//lib.
 
-** `configure --help=recursive' now works in read-only trees and from
+** 'configure --help=recursive' now works in read-only trees and from
    unconfigured build trees.
 
 ** If precious variables differ only in whitespace, then the cache consistency
@@ -1097,9 +1105,9 @@ GNU Autoconf NEWS - User visible changes.
    The documentation now favors the use of M4sugar macros m4_warn and
    m4_fatal, since the naming makes it more obvious that the
    diagnostics are associated with M4 expansion (ie. when running
-   `autoconf'), and offers less confusion with the AC_MSG_ERROR,
+   'autoconf'), and offers less confusion with the AC_MSG_ERROR,
    AC_MSG_FAILURE, and AC_MSG_WARN macros which manage diagnostics
-   when running `configure'.  We have no current plans to remove these
+   when running 'configure'.  We have no current plans to remove these
    macros.
 
 
@@ -1129,7 +1137,7 @@ GNU Autoconf NEWS - User visible changes.
 ** Many uses of 'echo' have been rewritten so that Autoconf-generated
    scripts have fewer problems with strings or file names containing
    embedded special characters such as backslash or leading "-".  This
-   was implemented by using `printf '%s\n' "$foo"' instead of `echo
+   was implemented by using 'printf '%s\n' "$foo"' instead of 'echo
    "$foo"' when printf works.  Due to the implementation technique
    used, Autoconf-generated scripts now run considerably more slowly
    on ancient implementations lacking printf.  However, this should
@@ -1218,7 +1226,7 @@ GNU Autoconf NEWS - User visible changes.
   GNU make keeps the installation instructions simpler.
 
 ** Even more safety checks for the new Directory variables:
-  Warn about suspicious `${datarootdir}' found in config files output.
+  Warn about suspicious '${datarootdir}' found in config files output.
 
 ** AC_TRY_COMMAND, AC_TRY_EVAL, ac_config_guess, ac_config_sub, ac_configure
   These never-documented macros and variables have been marked with
@@ -1264,7 +1272,7 @@ GNU Autoconf NEWS - User visible changes.
 
 ** autoreconf
   For compatibility with future Libtool 2.0, autoreconf will invoke
-  libtoolize with the option `--ltdl' now, if LT_CONFIG_LTDL_DIR is
+  libtoolize with the option '--ltdl' now, if LT_CONFIG_LTDL_DIR is
   used.
 
 * Major changes in Autoconf 2.59c
@@ -1294,11 +1302,11 @@ GNU Autoconf NEWS - User visible changes.
     infodir       info documentation [DATAROOTDIR/info]
     mandir        man documentation [DATAROOTDIR/man]
 
-  This means that if you use any of `@datadir@', `@infodir@', or
-  `@mandir@' in a file, you will have to ensure `${datarootdir}' is
+  This means that if you use any of '@datadir@', '@infodir@', or
+  '@mandir@' in a file, you will have to ensure '${datarootdir}' is
   defined in this file.  As a temporary measure, if any of those are
-  found but no mention of `datarootdir', the substitutions will be
-  replaced with values that do not contain `${datarootdir}', and a
+  found but no mention of 'datarootdir', the substitutions will be
+  replaced with values that do not contain '${datarootdir}', and a
   warning will be issued.
 
 ** @top_builddir@ is now a dir name: it is always nonempty and doesn't have
@@ -1324,7 +1332,7 @@ GNU Autoconf NEWS - User visible changes.
   X11/Intrinsic.h and XtMalloc (Xt).
 
 ** AC_PRESERVE_HELP_ORDER
-  New macro that causes `configure' to display help strings for AC_ARG_ENABLE
+  New macro that causes 'configure' to display help strings for AC_ARG_ENABLE
   and AC_ARG_WITH arguments in one region, in the order defined.  The default
   behavior is to group options of each classes separately.
 
@@ -1384,9 +1392,9 @@ GNU Autoconf NEWS - User visible changes.
   New macro for copyright notices in testsuite files.
 
 ** ALLOCA, LIBOBJS, LTLIBOBJS
-  Object names added to these variables are now prefixed with `${LIBOBJDIR}',
-  as in `${LIBOBJDIR}alloca.o'.  LIBOBJDIR is meant to be defined from
-  `Makefile.in' in case the object files lie in a different directory.
+  Object names added to these variables are now prefixed with '${LIBOBJDIR}',
+  as in '${LIBOBJDIR}alloca.o'.  LIBOBJDIR is meant to be defined from
+  'Makefile.in' in case the object files lie in a different directory.
   The LIBOBJDIR feature is experimental.
 
 ** autoreconf
@@ -1570,7 +1578,7 @@ Release tips:
 - Supports -W/--warnings.
 
 - -m/--make
-  Once the GNU Build System reinstalled, run `./config.status
+  Once the GNU Build System reinstalled, run './config.status
   --recheck && ./config.status && make' if possible.
 
 ** autom4te
@@ -1578,7 +1586,7 @@ Release tips:
 - Supports --cache, and --no-cache.
 
 - ~/.autom4te.cfg makes it possible to disable the caching mechanism
-  (autom4te.cache).  See `Customizing autom4te' in the documentation.
+  (autom4te.cache).  See 'Customizing autom4te' in the documentation.
 
 ** config.status
   Supports --quiet.
@@ -1616,7 +1624,7 @@ Release tips:
   produce more \ than wanted.
 
   Please, note that in the future the same problem will happen with
-  AC_MSG_*: use `autoreconf -f -Wall'.
+  AC_MSG_*: use 'autoreconf -f -Wall'.
 
 ** Bug Fixes
 
@@ -1645,7 +1653,7 @@ Release tips:
 - ./configure <host>
 
   The compatibility hooks with the old scheme will be completely
-  removed.  Please, advice/use `--build', `--host', and `--target'
+  removed.  Please, advice/use '--build', '--host', and '--target'
   only.
 
 - AC_CHECK_HEADER, AC_CHECK_HEADERS
@@ -1666,7 +1674,7 @@ Release tips:
   Special characters in AC_MSG_* need not be quoted.  Currently,
   Autoconf has heuristics to decide when a string is escaped, or has
   to be escaped.  This scheme is fragile, and will be removed; the
-  only risk is uglified messages.  Please, run `autoreconf -f -Wall'
+  only risk is uglified messages.  Please, run 'autoreconf -f -Wall'
   to find occurrences that will be affected.
 
 * Major changes in Autoconf 2.54
@@ -1701,7 +1709,7 @@ Release tips:
 	# built via the ANSI2KNR-filtering rules.
 	LIBOBJS=`echo $LIBOBJS|sed 's/\.o /\$U.o /g;s/\.o$/\$U.o/'`
 
-  and read the `AC_LIBOBJ vs LIBOBJS' section.  Do not define U in
+  and read the 'AC_LIBOBJ vs LIBOBJS' section.  Do not define U in
   your Makefiles either.
 
 - AC_CONFIG_LINKS now makes copies if it can't make links.
@@ -1726,12 +1734,12 @@ Release tips:
   looks for getloadavg.c in the CONFIG_LIBOBJ_DIR.
 
 - AC_FUNC_MALLOC
-  Now defines HAVE_MALLOC to 0 if `malloc' does not work, and asks
+  Now defines HAVE_MALLOC to 0 if 'malloc' does not work, and asks
   for an AC_LIBOBJ replacement.
 
 ** Bug fixes
 
-- Spurious complaints from `m4_bmatch' about invalid regular
+- Spurious complaints from 'm4_bmatch' about invalid regular
   expressions are suppressed.
 
 - Empty top_builddirs are properly handled.
@@ -1786,13 +1794,13 @@ Release tips:
   AC_TRY_CPP, AC_TRY_COMPILE, AC_TRY_LINK and AC_TRY_RUN.
 - Licensing
   The Autoconf manual is now distributed under the terms of the GNU FDL.
-- Section `Hosts and Cross-Compilation'
+- Section 'Hosts and Cross-Compilation'
   Explains the rationale for the 2.5x changes in the cross-compilation
   chain, and in the relationships between build, host, and target
   types.
-  Emphasizes that `cross-compilation' == `--host is given'.
+  Emphasizes that 'cross-compilation' == '--host is given'.
   If you are working on compilers etc., be sure to read this section.
-- Section `AC_LIBOBJ vs. LIBOBJS'
+- Section 'AC_LIBOBJ vs. LIBOBJS'
   Explains why assigning LIBOBJS directly is now an error.
   Details how to update the code.
 
@@ -1800,7 +1808,7 @@ Release tips:
 
 - $LINENO
   Now used instead of hard coded line numbers.
-  This eases the comparison of `configure's, and diminishes the
+  This eases the comparison of 'configure's, and diminishes the
   pressure over control version archives.
   Automatic replacement for shells that don't support this feature.
 - New output variables
@@ -1828,9 +1836,9 @@ Release tips:
 - autoreconf
   --m4dir is no longer supported.
 - autoreconf
-  Now runs only in the specified directories, defaulting to `.',
+  Now runs only in the specified directories, defaulting to '.',
   but understands AC_CONFIG_SUBDIRS for dependent directories.
-  Before, it used to run on all the `configure.ac' found in the
+  Before, it used to run on all the 'configure.ac' found in the
   current tree.
   Independent packages are properly updated.
 
@@ -1855,8 +1863,8 @@ Release tips:
   ACTION-IF-UNKNOWN arguments.  All are optional, and the default
   for ACTION-IF-TRUE is to define WORDS_BIGENDIAN like AC_C_BIGENDIAN
   always did.
-- AC_C_LONG_DOUBLE now succeeds only if `long double' has more range or
-  precision than `double'.
+- AC_C_LONG_DOUBLE now succeeds only if 'long double' has more range or
+  precision than 'double'.
 
 ** Generic macros
 
@@ -1897,7 +1905,7 @@ Release tips:
 - AC_ARG_VAR
 - Quadrigraphs
   This feature was present in autoconf 2.50 but was not documented.
-  For example, `@<:@' is translated to `[' just before output.  This
+  For example, '@<:@' is translated to '[' just before output.  This
   is useful when writing strings that contain unbalanced quotes, or
   other hard-to-quote constructs.
 - m4_pattern_forbid, m4_pattern_allow
@@ -1922,7 +1930,7 @@ Release tips:
 - Using --program-suffix/--program-prefix is portable.
 - Failures to detect the default compiler's output extension are less
   likely.
-- `config.status foo' works properly when `foo' depends on variables
+- 'config.status foo' works properly when 'foo' depends on variables
   set in an AC_CONFIG_THING INIT-CMD.
 - autoheader is more robust to broken input.
 - Fixed Fortran name-mangling and link tests on a number of systems,
@@ -1936,15 +1944,15 @@ Release tips:
 - AC_ARG_VAR refuses to run configure when precious variables have
   changed.
 - Versions of compilers are dumped in the logs.
-- AC_CHECK_TYPE recognizes use of `foo_t' as a replacement type.
+- AC_CHECK_TYPE recognizes use of 'foo_t' as a replacement type.
 
 ** Specific Macros
 - AC_PATH_XTRA only adds -ldnet to $LIBS if it's needed to link.
 - AC_FUNC_WAIT3 and AC_SYS_RESTARTABLE_SYSCALLS are obsoleted.
 - AM_FUNC_ERROR_AT_LINE, AM_FUNC_FNMATCH, AM_FUNC_MKTIME,
   AM_FUNC_OBSTACK, and AM_FUNC_STRTOD are now activated.
-  Be sure to read `Upgrading from Version 2.13' to understand why
-  running `autoupdate' is needed.
+  Be sure to read 'Upgrading from Version 2.13' to understand why
+  running 'autoupdate' is needed.
 - AC_F77_DUMMY_MAIN, AC_F77_MAIN: new macros to detect whether
   a main-like routine is required/possible when linking C/C++ with
   Fortran.  Users of e.g. AC_F77_WRAPPERS should be aware of these.
@@ -1979,7 +1987,7 @@ config.guess, config.sub.
 ** autoconf
 - --trace
   Provides a safe and powerful means to trace the macro uses.  This
-  provide the parsing layer for tools which need to `study'
+  provide the parsing layer for tools which need to 'study'
   configure.in.
 
 - --warnings
@@ -2000,11 +2008,11 @@ which might be needed to move from an old macro to its newer
 equivalent.
 
 You are strongly encouraged to use it to modernize both your
-`configure.in' and your .m4 extension files.
+'configure.in' and your .m4 extension files.
 
 ** autoheader
 The internal machinery of autoheader has completely changed.  As a
-result, using `acconfig.h' should be considered to be obsoleted, and
+result, using 'acconfig.h' should be considered to be obsoleted, and
 you are encouraged to get rid of it using the AH macros.
 
 ** autoreconf
@@ -2044,18 +2052,18 @@ test cases in this new framework.
   to $host.
   Cross-compilation is a global status of the package, it no longer
   depends upon the current language.
-  Cross compilation is enabled iff the user specified `--host'.
-  `configure' now fails if it can't run the executables it compiles,
+  Cross compilation is enabled iff the user specified '--host'.
+  'configure' now fails if it can't run the executables it compiles,
   unless cross-compilation is enabled.
 - Cache file
   The cache file is disabled by default.  The new options
-  `--config-cache', `-C' set the cache to `config.cache'.
+  '--config-cache', '-C' set the cache to 'config.cache'.
 
 ** config.status
 - faster
   Much faster on most architectures.
 - concurrent executions
-  It is safe to use `make -j' with config.status.
+  It is safe to use 'make -j' with config.status.
 - human interface improved
   It is possible to invoke
     ./config.status foobar
@@ -2079,7 +2087,7 @@ test cases in this new framework.
 
 ** General changes.
 - Uniform quotation
-  Most macros, if not all, now strictly follow the `one quotation
+  Most macros, if not all, now strictly follow the 'one quotation
   level' rule.  This results in a more predictable expansion.
 
 - AC_REQUIRE
@@ -2091,7 +2099,7 @@ test cases in this new framework.
   Document and ask for the registration of an envvar.
 
 - AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR
-  Specifies the file which `configure' should look for when trying to
+  Specifies the file which 'configure' should look for when trying to
   find the source tree (used to be handled by AC_INIT).
 
 - AC_CONFIG_COMMANDS
@@ -2117,7 +2125,7 @@ test cases in this new framework.
 
 - AC_HELP_STRING
   To format an Autoconf macro's help string so that it looks pretty
-  when the user executes `configure --help'.
+  when the user executes 'configure --help'.
 
 
 ** Generic Test Macros
@@ -2173,10 +2181,10 @@ test cases in this new framework.
   Sets GETGROUPS_LIBS.
 
 - AC_FUNC_GETLOADAVG
-  Defines `HAVE_STRUCT_NLIST_N_UN_N_NAME' instead of `NLIST_NAME_UNION'.
+  Defines 'HAVE_STRUCT_NLIST_N_UN_N_NAME' instead of 'NLIST_NAME_UNION'.
 
 - AC_PROG_LEX
-  Now integrates `AC_DECL_YYTEXT' which is obsoleted.
+  Now integrates 'AC_DECL_YYTEXT' which is obsoleted.
 
 - AC_SYS_LARGEFILE
   Arrange for large-file support.
@@ -2197,7 +2205,7 @@ Major changes in Autoconf 2.13:
 
 * Support for building on 32-bit Windows systems where the only available C or
   C++ compiler is the Microsoft Visual C++ command line compiler
-  (`cl').  Additional support for building on 32-bit Windows systems which are
+  ('cl').  Additional support for building on 32-bit Windows systems which are
   using the Cygwin or Mingw32 environments.
 * Support for alternative object file and executable file extensions.
   On 32-bit Windows, for example, these are .obj and .exe. These are discovered
@@ -2213,7 +2221,7 @@ Major changes in Autoconf 2.13:
   causing failures on systems using recent versions of the EGCS C++
   compiler.
 * Fixed an important bug in AC_CHECK_TYPE that would cause a configure
-  script to report that `sometype_t' was present when only `type_t'
+  script to report that 'sometype_t' was present when only 'type_t'
   was defined.
 * Merge of the FSF version of config.guess and config.sub to modernize
   these scripts. Add support for a few new hosts in config.guess.
@@ -2243,7 +2251,7 @@ Major changes in Autoconf 2.11:
 
 * AC_PROG_CC and AC_PROG_CXX check whether the compiler works.
   They also default CFLAGS/CXXFLAGS to "-g -O2" for gcc, instead of "-g -O".
-* AC_REPLACE_FUNCS defines HAVE_foo if the system has the function `foo'.
+* AC_REPLACE_FUNCS defines HAVE_foo if the system has the function 'foo'.
 * AC_CONFIG_HEADERS expands shell variables in its argument.
 * New macros: AC_FUNC_FNMATCH, AC_FUNC_SETPGRP.
 * The "checking..." messages and the source code for test programs that
@@ -2257,7 +2265,7 @@ Major changes in Autoconf 2.10:
   Released May 7th, 1996, by Roland McGrath
 
 * Bug fixes.
-* The cache variable names used by `AC_CHECK_LIB(LIB, FUNC, ...)' has
+* The cache variable names used by 'AC_CHECK_LIB(LIB, FUNC, ...)' has
   changed: now $ac_cv_lib_LIB_FUNC, previously $ac_cv_lib_LIB.
 
 Major changes in Autoconf 2.9:
@@ -2511,7 +2519,7 @@ Major changes in Autoconf 1.8:
 * autoheader optionally copies config.h.top to the beginning of config.h.in.
 * The example Makefile dependencies for configure et al. work better.
 * Namespace cleanup: all shell variables used internally by Autoconf
-  have names beginning with `ac_'.
+  have names beginning with 'ac_'.
 
 More big improvements are in process for future releases, but have not
 yet been (variously) finished, integrated, tested, or documented enough
@@ -2553,7 +2561,7 @@ Major changes in Autoconf 1.4:
   name of the M4 program to use.
 * The --macrodir option to autoconf and autoheader specifies the directory
   in which acspecific.m4, acgeneral.m4, etc. reside if not the default.
-* autoconf and autoheader can take `-' as their file names, which means to
+* autoconf and autoheader can take '-' as their file names, which means to
   read stdin as input.
 * Resulting configure scripts can take a --verbose option which causes them
   to print the results of their tests.
@@ -2562,11 +2570,11 @@ Major changes in Autoconf 1.4:
   expansion done by the shell.  If you don't want this, use
   AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED instead.
 * Much textual processing done with external calls to tr and sed have been
-  internalized with builtin M4 `patsubst' and `translit' calls.
+  internalized with builtin M4 'patsubst' and 'translit' calls.
 * AC_OUTPUT doesn't hardwire the file names it outputs.  Instead, you can
-  set the shell variables `gen_files' and `gen_config' to the list of
+  set the shell variables 'gen_files' and 'gen_config' to the list of
   file names to output.
-* AC_DECLARE_YYTEXT does an AC_SUBST of `LEX_OUTPUT_ROOT', which may be
+* AC_DECLARE_YYTEXT does an AC_SUBST of 'LEX_OUTPUT_ROOT', which may be
   "lex.yy" or "lexyy", depending on the system.
 * AC_PROGRAMS_CHECK takes an optional third arg.  If given, it is used as
   the default value.
@@ -2578,7 +2586,7 @@ Major changes in Autoconf 1.3:
 
 configure no longer requires awk for packages that use a config.h.
 Support handling --with-PACKAGE options.
-New `autoheader' script to create `config.h.in' from `configure.in'.
+New 'autoheader' script to create 'config.h.in' from 'configure.in'.
 Ignore troublesome -lucb and -lPW when searching for alloca.
 Rename --exec_prefix to --exec-prefix for GNU standards conformance.
 Improve detection of STDC library.
diff --git a/README b/README
index 2cedb951..67958457 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ Mail suggestions to autoconf@gnu.org, report bugs to
 bug-autoconf@gnu.org, and submit patches to autoconf-patches@gnu.org.
 All changes can be tracked at the read-only autoconf-commit@gnu.org.
 Always include the Autoconf version number, which you can get by
-running `autoconf --version'.  Archives of bug-autoconf@gnu.org can be
+running 'autoconf --version'.  Archives of bug-autoconf@gnu.org can be
 found in <https://lists.gnu.org/archive/htm

(Patch may be truncated, please check the link at the top of this post.)