I think the following patch is necessary (the ) is more obvious with the extra quoting, and as_help is safe as you require 2.59)
Cheers, Patrick
Index: configure.in =================================================================== RCS file: /cvsroot/net-snmp/net-snmp/configure.in,v retrieving revision 5.160 diff -u -r5.160 configure.in --- configure.in 16 Sep 2005 14:43:29 -0000 5.160 +++ configure.in 16 Sep 2005 17:28:46 -0000 @@ -2157,9 +2157,10 @@ AC_CHECK_LIB(m, asin) AC_ARG_WITH(elf, -[ --without-elf use elf libraries]) -AC_ARG_ENABLE(elf,, - AC_MSG_ERROR([ Invalid option. Use --with-elf/--with-out-elf instead ]) ) + [AS_HELP_STRING(--without-elf,[use elf libraries])],, + [AC_ARG_ENABLE(elf,, + [AC_MSG_ERROR([ Invalid option. Use --with-elf/--with-out-elf instead ])])]) + if test "x$with_elf" != "xno"; then # nlist is needed for uptime on some sytems in the generic library # add hosts which don't use nlist to the blank first line @@ -2168,7 +2169,7 @@ irix*) # Check for nlist in mld (irix) AC_CHECK_LIB(elf, nlist) AC_CHECK_LIB(mld, nlist) - ; + ;; *) # default AC_CHECK_LIB(elf, nlist) ;;