diff --git a/hardsup/make_gen b/hardsup/make_gen
index 32e8a1f..6cc87c3 100644
--- a/hardsup/make_gen
+++ b/hardsup/make_gen
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 .SUFFIXES:
 .SUFFIXES: .c .o
 
+VPATH=$(SRC)
+
 OBJ=   el734_utility.o asynsrv_utility.o stredit.o \
      strjoin.o failinet.o geterrno.o  el737_utility.o  sinqhm.o serialsinq.o \
      itc4util.o dillutil.o table.o el755_utility.o el755_errorlog.o \
diff --git a/hardsup/makefile b/hardsup/makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aef0ab2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hardsup/makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# this makefile delegates to a version specific makefile
+
+# where this subdirectory is (relative to the sics root)
+S_DOWN=psi/hardsup
+# where root is (from here)
+S_UP=../..
+
+include ../../make_forward
diff --git a/hardsup/makefile_alpha b/hardsup/makefile_alpha
index d15f5ce..392e3d1 100644
--- a/hardsup/makefile_alpha
+++ b/hardsup/makefile_alpha
@@ -9,6 +9,6 @@
 include ../../alpha_def
 
 CC       = cc
-CFLAGS   = -std1 -I../.. -g $(DFORTIFY) -I$(SRC).. -I$(SRC).
+CFLAGS   = -std1 -g $(DFORTIFY) -I$(SRC)../..  -I$(SRC).. -I$(SRC).
 
 include make_gen
diff --git a/hardsup/makefile_linux b/hardsup/makefile_linux
index daeb37d..251c425 100644
--- a/hardsup/makefile_linux
+++ b/hardsup/makefile_linux
@@ -6,9 +6,9 @@
 # Markus Zolliker, March 2003
 #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-include ../../linux_def
+include ../../$(SRC)linux_def
 
 CC       = gcc
-CFLAGS   = -g -DLINUX $(DFORTIFY) -I$(SRC). -I.. -I../..
+CFLAGS   = -g -DLINUX $(DFORTIFY) -I$(SRC). -I../../$(SRC)
 
 include $(SRC)make_gen
diff --git a/make_gen b/make_gen
index 9582ead..6ef04a4 100644
--- a/make_gen
+++ b/make_gen
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 .SUFFIXES: 
 .SUFFIXES: .c .o .f
 
+VPATH=$(SRC)
+
 OBJ=psi.o buffer.o ruli.o dmc.o nxsans.o nextrics.o sps.o pimotor.o \
 	pipiezo.o sanswave.o faverage.o fowrite.o amor2t.o nxamor.o \
 	amorstat.o tasinit.o tasdrive.o tasutil.o tasscan.o swmotor.o \
@@ -18,10 +20,10 @@ OBJ=psi.o buffer.o ruli.o dmc.o nxsans.o nextrics.o sps.o pimotor.o \
 	el737hpv2driv.o swmotor2.o
 
 libpsi.a: $(OBJ)
-	- rm libpsi.a
+	rm -f libpsi.a
 	ar cr libpsi.a $(OBJ)
 	ranlib libpsi.a
 
 clean:
-	- rm *.a
-	- rm *.o
+	rm -f *.a
+	rm -f *.o
diff --git a/makefile b/makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..776084f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# this makefile delegates to a version specific makefile
+
+# where this subdirectory is (relative to root)
+S_DOWN=psi
+# where root is
+S_UP=..
+
+include ../make_forward
diff --git a/makefile_alpha b/makefile_alpha
index 96890cc..c350831 100644
--- a/makefile_alpha
+++ b/makefile_alpha
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 include ../alpha_def
 
 CC       = cc
-CFLAGS   = -std1 -g $(DFORTIFY) -I.. -I$(HDFROOT)/include -DHDF4 -DHDF5 \
-	-Ihardsup
+CFLAGS   = -std1 -g $(DFORTIFY) -I$(SRC).. -I$(HDFROOT)/include -DHDF4 -DHDF5 \
+	-I$(SRC)hardsup
 
 include make_gen
diff --git a/makefile_linux b/makefile_linux
index 89bbee3..1a180fa 100644
--- a/makefile_linux
+++ b/makefile_linux
@@ -6,12 +6,12 @@
 # Markus Zolliker, March 2003
 #==========================================================================
 
-include ../linux_def
+include ../$(SRC)linux_def
 
 CC       = gcc
-CFLAGS = -I$(HDFROOT)/include -DHDF4 -DHDF5 $(NI) -Ihardsup \
-       -I../ -fwritable-strings -DCYGNUS -DNONINTF -g $(DFORTIFY)
+CFLAGS = -I$(HDFROOT)/include -DHDF4 -DHDF5 $(NI) -I$(SRC)hardsup \
+       -I../$(SRC) -fwritable-strings -DCYGNUS -DNONINTF -g $(DFORTIFY)
 
 EXTRA=nintf.o
 
-include make_gen
+include $(SRC)make_gen
diff --git a/tecs/make_gen b/tecs/make_gen
index d04685e..33fb317 100644
--- a/tecs/make_gen
+++ b/tecs/make_gen
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
 # Markus Zolliker, March 2003
 #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+VPATH=$(SRC)
+
 LIBR_OBJ  =coc_util.o myc_err.o myc_str.o myc_buf.o myc_time.o
 SERV_OBJ  =tecs.o coc_server.o tecs_lsc.o tecs_serial.o coc_logfile.o \
            tecs_data.o $(LIBR_OBJ)
diff --git a/tecs/makefile b/tecs/makefile
index 53664a3..d68ec23 100644
--- a/tecs/makefile
+++ b/tecs/makefile
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
-#include makefile_alpha
-include makefile_linux
+# this makefile delegates to a version specific makefile
 
+# where this subdirectory is (relative to the sics root)
+S_DOWN=psi/tecs
+# where root is (from here)
+S_UP=../..
+
+include $(S_UP)/make_forward
diff --git a/tecs/makefile_linux b/tecs/makefile_linux
index e7d20d0..dc29410 100644
--- a/tecs/makefile_linux
+++ b/tecs/makefile_linux
@@ -5,14 +5,11 @@
 # Markus Zolliker, March 2003
 #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-include ../../linux_def
-
-SICST=..
-SICS=$(SRC)..
+include ../../$(SRC)linux_def
 
 CC       = gcc
 FC       = g77
-CFLAGS   = -DLINUX -g $(DFORTIFY) -I../..
+CFLAGS   = -DLINUX -g $(DFORTIFY) -I../$(SRC) -I../hardsup/$(SRC)
 FFLAGS   = -u -fvxt -g
 ARFLAGS  = cr