diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index cfff11a..eedf9d2 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 PACKAGE	= Browser
 VERSION	= 0.4.2
 SUBDIRS	= data include po src tools
-RM	= rm -f
-LN	= ln -f
-TAR	= tar -czvf
+RM	?= rm -f
+LN	?= ln -f
+TAR	?= tar -czvf
 
 
 all: subdirs
diff --git a/data/16x16/Makefile b/data/16x16/Makefile
index 86bf0cf..5a60f57 100644
--- a/data/16x16/Makefile
+++ b/data/16x16/Makefile
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 PREFIX	= /usr/local
 DESTDIR	=
-MKDIR	= mkdir -p
-INSTALL	= install
-RM	= rm -f
+MKDIR	?= mkdir -p
+INSTALL	?= install
+RM	?= rm -f
 
 
 all:
diff --git a/data/Makefile b/data/Makefile
index 7c07fdb..4af48c1 100644
--- a/data/Makefile
+++ b/data/Makefile
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
 SUBDIRS	= 16x16
-MKDIR	= mkdir -p
-INSTALL	= install
-RM	= rm -f
+MKDIR	?= mkdir -p
+INSTALL	?= install
+RM	?= rm -f
 TARGETS	= Browser.pc
 PREFIX	= /usr/local
 DESTDIR	=
-RM	= rm -f
-LN	= ln -f
-MKDIR	= mkdir -p
-INSTALL	= install
+RM	?= rm -f
+LN	?= ln -f
+MKDIR	?= mkdir -p
+INSTALL	?= install
 
 
 all: subdirs $(TARGETS)
diff --git a/include/Makefile b/include/Makefile
index b04f2a6..6541d84 100644
--- a/include/Makefile
+++ b/include/Makefile
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 PREFIX	= /usr/local
 DESTDIR	=
-RM	= rm -f
-LN	= ln -f
-MKDIR	= mkdir -p
-INSTALL	= install
+RM	?= rm -f
+LN	?= ln -f
+MKDIR	?= mkdir -p
+INSTALL	?= install
 INCLUDEDIR= $(PREFIX)/include
 
 
diff --git a/po/Makefile b/po/Makefile
index 563e80e..62a7851 100644
--- a/po/Makefile
+++ b/po/Makefile
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 TARGETS	= Browser.pot de.mo es.mo fr.mo it.mo
 PREFIX	= /usr/local
 DESTDIR	=
-RM	= rm -f
-LN	= ln -f
-MKDIR	= mkdir -p
-INSTALL	= install
+RM	?= rm -f
+LN	?= ln -f
+MKDIR	?= mkdir -p
+INSTALL	?= install
 
 
 all: $(TARGETS)
diff --git a/src/Makefile b/src/Makefile
index 940c44b..60b1b52 100644
--- a/src/Makefile
+++ b/src/Makefile
@@ -5,14 +5,14 @@ DESTDIR	=
 BINDIR	= $(PREFIX)/bin
 CC	= cc
 CPPFLAGSF= -I ../include
-CPPFLAGS=
+CPPFLAGS?=
 CFLAGSF	= -W `pkg-config --cflags libDesktop`
 CFLAGS	= -Wall -g -O2 -pedantic
 LDFLAGSF= `pkg-config --libs libDesktop`
-RM	= rm -f
-LN	= ln -f
-MKDIR	= mkdir -p
-INSTALL	= install
+RM	?= rm -f
+LN	?= ln -f
+MKDIR	?= mkdir -p
+INSTALL	?= install
 
 
 all: subdirs $(TARGETS)
diff --git a/src/plugins/Makefile b/src/plugins/Makefile
index 08484e8..ba8f423 100644
--- a/src/plugins/Makefile
+++ b/src/plugins/Makefile
@@ -7,13 +7,13 @@ CPPFLAGSF= -I ../../include
 CPPFLAGS=
 CFLAGSF	= -W `pkg-config --cflags libDesktop`
 CFLAGS	= -Wall -g -O2 -pedantic -fPIC
-AR	= ar -rc
-RANLIB	= ranlib
-LD	= $(CC) -shared
-RM	= rm -f
-LN	= ln -f
-MKDIR	= mkdir -p
-INSTALL	= install
+AR	?= ar
+RANLIB	?= ranlib
+CCSHARED?= $(CC) -shared
+RM	?= rm -f
+LN	?= ln -f
+MKDIR	?= mkdir -p
+INSTALL	?= install
 
 
 all: $(TARGETS)
@@ -23,35 +23,35 @@ cvs_CFLAGS = $(CPPFLAGSF) $(CPPFLAGS) $(CFLAGSF) $(CFLAGS)
 cvs_LDFLAGS = $(LDFLAGSF) $(LDFLAGS)
 
 cvs.so: $(cvs_OBJS)
-	$(LD) -o cvs.so $(cvs_OBJS) $(cvs_LDFLAGS)
+	$(CCSHARED) -o cvs.so $(cvs_OBJS) $(cvs_LDFLAGS)
 
 dirtree_OBJS = dirtree.o
 dirtree_CFLAGS = $(CPPFLAGSF) $(CPPFLAGS) $(CFLAGSF) $(CFLAGS)
 dirtree_LDFLAGS = $(LDFLAGSF) $(LDFLAGS)
 
 dirtree.so: $(dirtree_OBJS)
-	$(LD) -o dirtree.so $(dirtree_OBJS) $(dirtree_LDFLAGS)
+	$(CCSHARED) -o dirtree.so $(dirtree_OBJS) $(dirtree_LDFLAGS)
 
 preview_OBJS = preview.o
 preview_CFLAGS = $(CPPFLAGSF) $(CPPFLAGS) $(CFLAGSF) $(CFLAGS)
 preview_LDFLAGS = $(LDFLAGSF) $(LDFLAGS)
 
 preview.so: $(preview_OBJS)
-	$(LD) -o preview.so $(preview_OBJS) $(preview_LDFLAGS)
+	$(CCSHARED) -o preview.so $(preview_OBJS) $(preview_LDFLAGS)
 
 properties_OBJS = properties.o
 properties_CFLAGS = $(CPPFLAGSF) $(CPPFLAGS) $(CFLAGSF) $(CFLAGS)
 properties_LDFLAGS = $(LDFLAGSF) $(LDFLAGS)
 
 properties.so: $(properties_OBJS)
-	$(LD) -o properties.so $(properties_OBJS) $(properties_LDFLAGS)
+	$(CCSHARED) -o properties.so $(properties_OBJS) $(properties_LDFLAGS)
 
 volumes_OBJS = volumes.o
 volumes_CFLAGS = $(CPPFLAGSF) $(CPPFLAGS) $(CFLAGSF) $(CFLAGS)
 volumes_LDFLAGS = $(LDFLAGSF) $(LDFLAGS)
 
 volumes.so: $(volumes_OBJS)
-	$(LD) -o volumes.so $(volumes_OBJS) $(volumes_LDFLAGS)
+	$(CCSHARED) -o volumes.so $(volumes_OBJS) $(volumes_LDFLAGS)
 
 cvs.o: cvs.c ../../include/Browser.h
 	$(CC) $(cvs_CFLAGS) -c cvs.c
diff --git a/tools/Makefile b/tools/Makefile
index e3a20ff..2437716 100644
--- a/tools/Makefile
+++ b/tools/Makefile
@@ -3,15 +3,15 @@ PREFIX	= /usr/local
 DESTDIR	=
 BINDIR	= $(PREFIX)/bin
 CC	= cc
-CPPFLAGSF=
-CPPFLAGS=
+CPPFLAGSF?=
+CPPFLAGS?=
 CFLAGSF	= -W `pkg-config --cflags gtk+-2.0`
 CFLAGS	= -Wall -g -O2
 LDFLAGSF= `pkg-config --libs gtk+-2.0`
-RM	= rm -f
-LN	= ln -f
-MKDIR	= mkdir -p
-INSTALL	= install
+RM	?= rm -f
+LN	?= ln -f
+MKDIR	?= mkdir -p
+INSTALL	?= install
 
 
 all: $(TARGETS)