diff --git a/aclocal/ax_boost_base.m4 b/aclocal/ax_boost_base.m4
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e56bb73
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+++ b/aclocal/ax_boost_base.m4
@@ -0,0 +1,198 @@
+##### http://autoconf-archive.cryp.to/ax_boost_base.html
+#
+# SYNOPSIS
+#
+#   AX_BOOST_BASE([MINIMUM-VERSION])
+#
+# DESCRIPTION
+#
+#   Test for the Boost C++ libraries of a particular version (or newer)
+#
+#   If no path to the installed boost library is given the macro
+#   searchs under /usr, /usr/local, /opt and /opt/local and evaluates
+#   the $BOOST_ROOT environment variable. Further documentation is
+#   available at <http://randspringer.de/boost/index.html>.
+#
+#   This macro calls:
+#
+#     AC_SUBST(BOOST_CPPFLAGS) / AC_SUBST(BOOST_LDFLAGS)
+#
+#   And sets:
+#
+#     HAVE_BOOST
+#
+# LAST MODIFICATION
+#
+#   2007-07-28
+#
+# COPYLEFT
+#
+#   Copyright (c) 2007 Thomas Porschberg <thomas@randspringer.de>
+#
+#   Copying and distribution of this file, with or without
+#   modification, are permitted in any medium without royalty provided
+#   the copyright notice and this notice are preserved.
+
+AC_DEFUN([AX_BOOST_BASE],
+[
+AC_ARG_WITH([boost],
+	AS_HELP_STRING([--with-boost@<:@=DIR@:>@], [use boost (default is yes) - it is possible to specify the root directory for boost (optional)]),
+	[
+    if test "$withval" = "no"; then
+		want_boost="no"
+    elif test "$withval" = "yes"; then
+        want_boost="yes"
+        ac_boost_path=""
+    else
+	    want_boost="yes"
+        ac_boost_path="$withval"
+	fi
+    ],
+    [want_boost="yes"])
+
+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 >= $boost_lib_version_req)
+	succeeded=no
+
+	dnl first we check the system location for boost libraries
+	dnl this location ist chosen if boost libraries are installed with the --layout=system option
+	dnl or if you install boost with RPM
+	if test "$ac_boost_path" != ""; then
+		BOOST_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"
+				break;
+			fi
+		done
+	fi
+
+	CPPFLAGS_SAVED="$CPPFLAGS"
+	CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS $BOOST_CPPFLAGS"
+	export CPPFLAGS
+
+	LDFLAGS_SAVED="$LDFLAGS"
+	LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS $BOOST_LDFLAGS"
+	export LDFLAGS
+
+	AC_LANG_PUSH(C++)
+     	AC_COMPILE_IFELSE([AC_LANG_PROGRAM([[
+	@%:@include <boost/version.hpp>
+	]], [[
+	#if BOOST_VERSION >= $WANT_BOOST_VERSION
+	// Everything is okay
+	#else
+	#  error Boost version is too old
+	#endif
+	]])],[
+        AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
+	succeeded=yes
+	found_system=yes
+       	],[
+       	])
+	AC_LANG_POP([C++])
+
+
+
+	dnl if we found no boost with system layout we search for boost libraries
+	dnl built and installed without the --layout=system option or for a staged(not installed) version
+	if test "x$succeeded" != "xyes"; then
+		_version=0
+		if test "$ac_boost_path" != ""; then
+               		BOOST_LDFLAGS="-L$ac_boost_path/lib"
+			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
+
+			VERSION_UNDERSCORE=`echo $_version | sed 's/\./_/'`
+			BOOST_CPPFLAGS="-I$best_path/include/boost-$VERSION_UNDERSCORE"
+			BOOST_LDFLAGS="-L$best_path/lib"
+
+	    		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" ; then
+						AC_MSG_NOTICE(We will use a staged boost library from $BOOST_ROOT)
+						BOOST_CPPFLAGS="-I$BOOST_ROOT"
+						BOOST_LDFLAGS="-L$BOOST_ROOT/stage/lib"
+					fi
+				fi
+	    		fi
+		fi
+
+		CPPFLAGS="$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 >= $WANT_BOOST_VERSION
+		// Everything is okay
+		#else
+		#  error Boost version is too old
+		#endif
+		]])],[
+        	AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
+		succeeded=yes
+		found_system=yes
+       		],[
+	       	])
+		AC_LANG_POP([C++])
+	fi
+
+	if test "$succeeded" != "yes" ; 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 $_version).])
+		fi
+	else
+		AC_SUBST(BOOST_CPPFLAGS)
+		AC_SUBST(BOOST_LDFLAGS)
+		AC_DEFINE(HAVE_BOOST,,[define if the Boost library is available])
+	fi
+
+        CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS_SAVED"
+       	LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS_SAVED"
+fi
+
+])