Error in make for postgresql8.3RC1

This system has been running postgresql 8.2.5 without problems. I wanted
to try an install 8.3 from tarball while I had the chance.

In preparation, I removed all postgresql files and services from the
system to avoid any possible conflict.

The system is running Linux (Mandriva) kernel 2.6.24) with gcc-4.2.2 and
make 3.81.

The download was verified with md5sum, uncompressed, and the build begun
with:

./configure --prefix=/var/lib/pgsql.

This completes with no missing files or other errors.

The make command results in 2 errors, repeated over and over again
throughout the log file.

The first instance looks like this:

configure: 2682 gcc -c-g -0@ conftest.c >&5
conftest.c:2: error: expected '=',',', ';', 'asm' or '__attribute__'
before 'me'
configure: 2688: $?=1
configure: failed program was:
| #ifndef __cplusplus
| choke me
| #endif
configure: 2844: gcc -c -g -02 conftest.c >&5
conftest.c: In function 'main':
conftest.c:17: error: 'choke' undeclared (first use in the function)
conftest.c:17: error  (Each undeclared error is reported only once
conftest.c:17: error: for each function it appears in.)
conftest.c:17: error: expected ';' before 'me'
configure: 2850: $?=1
configure: failed program was:
| /* confdefs.h.  */
|
| #define PACKAGE_NAME "PostgreSQL"
| #define PACKAGE_TARNAME "postgresql"
| #define PACKAGE_VERSION "8.3RC1"
| #define PACKAGE_STRING "PostgreSQL 8.3RC1"
| #define PACKAGE_BUGREPORT "pgsql-bugs@postgresql.org"
| #define PG_VERSION "8.3RC1"
| #define DEF_PGPORT 5432
| #define DEF_PGPORT_STR "5432"
| /* end confdefs.h. */

..... which looks fine to me.

FURTHERMORE, using the same 'clean' procedure, I attempted to install
from Mandriva's rpms, which resulted in a permission problem and
therefore would not complete either.

Not much more I can do to get a line on this problem. If there is no
obvious solution, I'll revert back to 8.2.5 and stay with it ....

Thanks for any insight you might be able to share.

George