diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 6ca0882..0a40827 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -22,8 +22,6 @@ AC_CONFIG_HEADERS([src/config.h])
 # Checks for programs.
 AC_PROG_CXX
 AC_PROG_CC
-AM_PROG_CC_C_O
-AC_PROG_CPP
 AM_PROG_AR
 AM_CONDITIONAL(GCC, test "$GCC" = yes)   # let the Makefile know if we're gcc
 
@@ -43,8 +41,6 @@ LT_INIT([disable-fast-install])
 AC_SUBST(LIBTOOL_DEPS)
 AC_SUBST(SO_VERSION)
 
-AC_PROG_LN_S
-
 AX_C___ATTRIBUTE__
 
 # Check whether some low-level functions/files are available
@@ -83,11 +79,6 @@ AC_RWLOCK
 # unclear, so it's best just to check.
 AC_INTERLOCKED_EXCHANGE_NONVOLATILE
 
-# Find out what namespace 'normal' STL code lives in, and also what namespace
-# the user wants our classes to be defined in
-AC_CXX_STL_NAMESPACE
-AC_DEFINE_GOOGLE_NAMESPACE(ctemplate)
-
 # Figures out where hash_map and hash_set live, and what namespace they use
 AC_CXX_STL_HASH
 
diff --git a/src/ctemplate/template.h.in b/src/ctemplate/template.h.in
index c2201f8..ae56b5a 100644
--- a/src/ctemplate/template.h.in
+++ b/src/ctemplate/template.h.in
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
 #include <ctemplate/template_namelist.h>
 #include <ctemplate/per_expand_data.h>
 #else
-@ac_google_start_namespace@
+namespace ctemplate {
 class TemplateDictionaryInterface;
 class PerExpandData;
 }
diff --git a/src/ctemplate/template_cache.h.in b/src/ctemplate/template_cache.h.in
index 998eff2..19b2d6d 100644
--- a/src/ctemplate/template_cache.h.in
+++ b/src/ctemplate/template_cache.h.in
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
 #include <ctemplate/template_enums.h>  // for Strip
 #include <ctemplate/template_string.h>
 #include <ctemplate/per_expand_data.h>
-@ac_google_start_namespace@
+namespace ctemplate {
 class FileStat;
 }
 class Mutex;
diff --git a/src/ctemplate/template_dictionary.h.in b/src/ctemplate/template_dictionary.h.in
index e0c9942..256955a 100644
--- a/src/ctemplate/template_dictionary.h.in
+++ b/src/ctemplate/template_dictionary.h.in
@@ -62,14 +62,12 @@
 
 @ac_windows_dllexport_defines@
 
-@ac_google_start_namespace@
+namespace ctemplate {
+
 template <class T, class C> class ArenaAllocator;
 class UnsafeArena;
 template<typename A, int B, typename C, typename D> class small_map;
 template<typename NormalMap> class small_map_default_init;  // in small_map.h
-}
-
-namespace ctemplate {
 
 
 class @ac_windows_dllexport@ TemplateDictionary : public TemplateDictionaryInterface {