diff --git a/client/message.h b/client/message.h
index 6babe8bfce..60a88118c4 100644
--- a/client/message.h
+++ b/client/message.h
@@ -55,6 +55,12 @@ public:
 
 extern ClientMessages log_messages;
 
-extern void msg_printf(PROJECT *p, int priority, char *fmt, ...);
+// the __attribute((format...)) tags are GCC extensions that let the compiler
+// do like-checking on printf-like arguments
+#if !defined(__GNUC__) && !defined(__attribute__)
+#define __attribute__(x) /*nothing*/
+#endif
+
+extern void msg_printf(PROJECT *p, int priority, char *fmt, ...) __attribute__ ((format (printf, 3, 4)));
 
 #endif
diff --git a/doc/build.txt b/doc/build.txt
index ad2449d265..f33f54b352 100755
--- a/doc/build.txt
+++ b/doc/build.txt
@@ -289,6 +289,9 @@ Building client only:
 
   ./configure && cd client && make
 
+Testing (requires Python 2, MySQLdb) after build:
+
+  make check
 
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Build X11
diff --git a/doc/build_system.html b/doc/build_system.html
index 2b5dc13959..f03f96f140 100644
--- a/doc/build_system.html
+++ b/doc/build_system.html
@@ -121,8 +121,9 @@
           To test the code:
           <pre>
             make check
-          </pre>
-          (This runs the php-based tests in the <code>test</code> directory)
+          </pre> This runs the python tests in the <code>test/</code>
+          directory; requires Python2.2, MySQLdb.  Old PHP-based tests in
+          <code>test/</code>are also available to be run individually.
         </p>
       </li>
       <li><b>Version number</b>
@@ -131,11 +132,12 @@
           <pre>
             AC_INIT(BOINC, 1.03)
           </pre>
-          in <code>configure.ac</code>.  If you change this,
-          run <code>make</code> and it will rebuild any files necessary to
-          propagate the version number into source files and scripts.  This is
-          the only location the version number is set; all other uses of it
-          come from here (no environment variables used).
+          in <code>configure.ac</code>.  If you change this, run
+          <code>make</code> and it will rebuild any files necessary to
+          propagate the version number into source files and scripts (if
+          maintainer-mode is on).  This is the only location the version
+          number is set (in unix); all other uses of it come from here (no
+          environment variables used).
         </p>
       </li>
       <li><b>Archiving</b>