coreutils didn't bootstrap, due to a syntax error (AC_PROG_MKDIR_P) in its generated lib/Makefile. I fixed it with this:
* modules/arpa_inet: Put AC_PROG_MKDIR_P in the configure.ac: section, not in the Makefile.am: one. Index: modules/arpa_inet =================================================================== RCS file: /sources/gnulib/gnulib/modules/arpa_inet,v retrieving revision 1.6 diff -u -p -r1.6 arpa_inet --- modules/arpa_inet 2 Feb 2007 13:06:22 -0000 1.6 +++ modules/arpa_inet 2 Feb 2007 17:28:32 -0000 @@ -9,10 +9,10 @@ sys_socket configure.ac: gl_HEADER_ARPA_INET +AC_PROG_MKDIR_P Makefile.am: BUILT_SOURCES += $(ARPA_INET_H) -AC_PROG_MKDIR_P # We need the following in order to create <arpa/inet.h> when the system # doesn't have one.