diff --git a/ts/GNUmakefile b/ts/GNUmakefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c84daf8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ts/GNUmakefile
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+include GNUmakevars
+
+CONFDIR=../../configure
+CONFDIR_exists=$(shell [ -d $(CONFDIR) ] && echo ok)
+
+all: configure ts
+
+clean:
+	rm ts
+
+install: \
+	$(BINDIR)/ts \
+
+ts: ts.pl
+
+%: %.pl customize
+	sh ./customize < $< > $@
+	chmod +x $@
+
+customize: configure
+	sh ./configure
+
+ifeq ($(CONFDIR_exists),ok)
+
+configure: $(CONFDIR)/start $(CONFDIR)/perl $(CONFDIR)/finish
+	cat $^ > $@
+
+endif
+
+include GNUmakerules
diff --git a/ts/configure b/ts/configure
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9279c24
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ts/configure
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+#
+echo "#!/bin/sh" > customize.$$
+echo "sed \\" > customize.$$
+chmod +x customize.$$
+
+################################################################
+# find a working perl:
+#
+for i in /usr/bin/perl /usr/local/bin/perl /usr/bin/perl5 /usr/local/bin/perl5
+do
+    if $i -e 'exit ($] < 5.000)'
+    then
+	echo $i works
+	perl="$i"
+	break
+    fi
+done
+if [ -z "$perl" ]
+then
+    echo could not find a working perl command, sorry.
+    exit 1
+fi
+echo "  -e 's,@@@perl@@@,$perl,g' \\" >> customize.$$
+
+
+################################################################
+# finish
+#	Add trailing newline and rename temp file to final name
+#
+echo  >> customize.$$
+
+mv customize.$$ customize
+
diff --git a/ts/ts.pl b/ts/ts.pl
index 1a55fa9..0039843 100644
--- a/ts/ts.pl
+++ b/ts/ts.pl
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
-#!/usr/bin/perl -wT
+#!@@@perl@@@ -wT
 use strict;
 use POSIX;
 while (<>) {
     chomp;
-    $now = strftime('%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S', localtime);
+    my $now = strftime('%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S', localtime);
     print "$now $_\n";
 }