--- a/Makefile	
+++ a/Makefile	
@@ -62,29 +62,32 @@ endif
 else
 INSTALLPATH=$(INSTALLPATH_MSYS_MINGW)
 endif
-else 
+else
 INSTALLPATH=$(INSTALLPATH_LINUX)
 endif
 endif
 
 # use 386 instructions but optimize for pentium II/III
-CFLAGS = -g -D$(TYPESIZE) -O3 -I. -O1 -idirafter$(BOOST_INCLUDE) -Wall -Wno-uninitialized $(CFLAGAPP)
+CFLAGS +=  -D$(TYPESIZE)  -I.  -idirafter$(BOOST_INCLUDE) -Wall -Wno-uninitialized
+CXXFLAGS +=  -D$(TYPESIZE)  -I.  -idirafter$(BOOST_INCLUDE) -Wall -Wno-uninitialized
 
 ifeq ($(DEBUG),1)
 CFLAGS += -DDEBUG
+CXXFLAGS += -DDEBUG
 endif
 
 ifeq ($(MACHINE),mingw32)
 CFLAGS += -DMINGW
+CXXFLAGS += -DMINGW
 endif
 
 ifeq ($(ISCYGWIN),1)
 ifeq ($(NOCYGWIN),1)
 CFLAGS += -DMINGW -mno-cygwin
+CXXFLAGS += -DMINGW -mno-cygwin
 endif
 endif
 
-CXXFLAGS = $(CFLAGS)
 
 
 # Somewhat automatic detection of the correct boost include folder
@@ -171,7 +174,7 @@ endif
 PAL_FILES = pals/$(subst &,.bcp pals/,$(PALORDER)).bcp
 
 # deafult targets
-all: $(GRFCODEC) $(GRFDIFF) $(GRFMERGE)
+all: version.h $(GRFCODEC) $(GRFDIFF) $(GRFMERGE)
 remake: clean all
 
 ${MAKEFILELOCAL}:
@@ -181,15 +184,15 @@ ${MAKEFILELOCAL}:
 
 $(GRFCODEC): $(GRFCODECSRC:%.c=%.o)
 	$(_E) [LD] $@
-	$(_C)$(CXX) -o $@ $(CFLAGS) $^ $(LDOPT)
+	$(_C)$(CXX) -o $@ $(CXXFLAGS) $^ $(LDOPT)
 
 $(GRFDIFF):  $(GRFDIFFSRC:%.c=%.o) grfmrg.o
 	$(_E) [LD] $@
-	$(_C)$(CXX) -o $@ $(CFLAGS) $^ $(LDOPT)
+	$(_C)$(CXX) -o $@ $(CXXFLAGS) $^ $(LDOPT)
 
 $(GRFMERGE): $(GRFMERGESRC:%.c=%.o)
 	$(_E) [LD] $@
-	$(_C)$(CXX) -o $@ $(CFLAGS) $^ $(LDOPT)
+	$(_C)$(CXX) -o $@ $(CXXFLAGS) $^ $(LDOPT)
 
 
 clean:
@@ -219,9 +222,7 @@ FORCE:
 	$(_E) [REBUILD] $(@:%_r=%)
 	$(_C)rm -f $(@:%_r=%)
 	$(_C)$(MAKE) ${_S} $(@:%_r=%)
-	$(_E) [STRIP/UPX] $(@:%_r=%)
 	$(_C)$(STRIP)  $(@:%_r=%)
-	$(_C)upx $(_Q) --best  $(@:%_r=%)
 
 release: $(GRFCODEC)_r $(GRFDIFF)_r $(GRFMERGE)_r
 
@@ -230,9 +231,7 @@ grfmrgc.bin:	grfmerge.os $(GRFMERGESRC:%.c=%.os)
 	$(_C)rm -f $@
 	$(_E) [LD] $@
 	$(_C)$(CC) -o $@ $(CFLAGS) -Os $^
-	$(_E) [STRIP/UPX] $@
 	$(_C)$(STRIP) $@
-	$(_C)upx $(_Q) --best $@
 
 grfmrg.c:	grfmrgc.bin grfmrgc.pl
 	$(_E) [PERL] $@
@@ -291,15 +290,18 @@ ttdpal.h:	$(PAL_FILES) pal2c.pl
 
 %.o.d:
 	$(_E) [CPP DEP] $@
-	$(_C)$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -DMAKEDEP -MM -MG $*.c* -MF $@
+	$(_C)$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -DMAKEDEP -MM -MG error.c  getopt.c  grfcomm.c  grfmerge.c  path.c -MF $@
+	$(_C)$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -DMAKEDEP -MM -MG file.cc grfcodec.cc grfdiff.cc info.cc pcxfile.cc pcxsprit.cc readinfo.cc sprites.cc -MF $@
 
 %.os.d:
 	$(_E) [CPP DEP] $@
-	$(_C)$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -DMAKEDEP -MM -MG -MT ${subst .d,,$@} -MF $@ $*.c*
+	$(_C)$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -DMAKEDEP -MM -MG -MT ${subst .d,,$@} -MF $@ error.c getopt.c grfcomm.c grfmerge.c path.c
+	$(_C)$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -DMAKEDEP -MM -MG -MT ${subst .d,,$@} -MF $@ file.cc grfcodec.cc grfdiff.cc info.cc pcxfile.cc pcxsprit.cc readinfo.cc sprites.cc
 
-%.obj.d: $(wildcard %.c*)
+%.obj.d:
 	$(_E) [CPP DEP] $@
-	$(_C)$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -DMAKEDEP -MM -MG -MT ${subst .d,,$@} -MF $@ $*.c*
+	$(_C)$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -DMAKEDEP -MM -MG -MT ${subst .d,,$@} -MF $@ error.c  getopt.c  grfcomm.c  grfmerge.c  path.c
+	$(_C)$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -DMAKEDEP -MM -MG -MT ${subst .d,,$@} -MF $@ file.cc grfcodec.cc grfdiff.cc info.cc pcxfile.cc pcxsprit.cc readinfo.cc sprites.cc
 
 ifndef NO_MAKEFILE_DEP
 -include $(GRFCODECSRC:%.c=%.o.d)
--- a/Makefile.common	
+++ a/Makefile.common	
@@ -5,9 +5,7 @@ FORCE:
 	$(_E) [REBUILD] $(@:%_r=%)
 	$(_C)rm -f $(@:%_r=%)$(EXE)
 	$(_C)make -f $(MAKEFILE) $(_S) $(@:%_r=%)
-	$(_E) [STRIP/UPX] $(@:%_r=%)
 	$(_C)strip  $(@:%_r=%)$(REL_EXE)
-	$(_C)upx $(_Q) --best  $(@:%_r=%)$(REL_EXE)
 
 release: grfcodec_r grfdiff_r grfmerge_r
 
@@ -16,9 +14,7 @@ grfmrgc.bin:	grfmerge.os $(GRFMERGESRC:%.c=%.os)
 	$(_C)rm -f $@
 	$(_E) [LD] $@
 	$(_C)$(CC) -o $@ $(CFLAGS) -Os $^
-	$(_E) [STRIP/UPX] $@
 	$(_C)strip $@
-	$(_C)upx $(_Q) --best $@
 
 grfmrg.c:	grfmrgc.bin grfmrgc.pl
 	$(_E) [PERL] $@
@@ -32,7 +28,7 @@ ttdpal.h:	$(PAL_FILES) pal2c.pl
 
 readinfo.o: readinfo.cc
 	$(_E) [CPP] $@
-	$(BOOST_WARN)	
+	$(BOOST_WARN)
 	$(_C)$(CXX) -c -o $@ -MMD -MG -MF $@.d $(CXXFLAGS) $<
 
 %.o : %.c