And we can't make "AM_PROG_AR" an automatic default? What would be the downside?

(Sorry if I'm being a pain, but I find autotools a painful time sink, and I use it for many projects; anything that can be done to simplify it, however slightly, is a boon to both those of us who use it and those who refuse to on the grounds of excessive complexity and crankiness, with whom I all too often find myself sympathising!)