Where's the configure script?

  After installing the GNU autotools suite, execute the following
  command to generate the configure script (and other necessary
  generated files):
  
    autoreconf -fi
    
  If for some reason, the autoreconf command is not available,
  the following sequence of commands should have the same result:
    
    autoheader
    aclocal -I m4
    libtoolize -f
    autoconf 
    automake -a
    

Why aren't the configure script and other generated files in the
CVS repository?
  
  Because they are generated files.  Why save a version history for
  them?  Further, some of the above commands get re-run automatically
  when Makefile.am's or other files are changed.  This could lead to 
  compatibility problems if some of the generated files in the CVS 
  repository are from a different version of the GNU autotools.
  

Aren't we requiring users to have GNU autotools installed in order 
to configure MOAB?

  No.  Developers (or anyone else using source directly from the CVS
  repository) must have the autotools installed.  When creating a
  tarball for distribution of MOAB, the commands below should be run.
  The resulting tarball will contain all necessary generated files,
  including the configure script.


What needs to be done to prepare MOAB for distribution as a tarball?

  Check out a clean copy of MOAB.
  Execute the following commands in the top-most directory:
    autoreconf -fi
    ./configure
    make dist
