diff client/civclient.c client/civclient.c
--- client/civclient.c	Sat Jan  6 14:39:24 2001
+++ client/civclient.c	Sat Jan  6 18:02:59 2001
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@
 #endif
     fprintf(stderr, _("  -v, --version\t\tPrint the version number\n"));
    } else if (is_option("--version",argv[i])) {
-    fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", FREECIV_NAME_VERSION);
+    fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", freeciv_name_version());
     exit(0);
    } else if ((option = get_option("--log",argv,&i,argc)) != NULL)
       logfile = mystrdup(option); /* never free()d */
diff client/gui-gtk/graphics.c client/gui-gtk/graphics.c
--- client/gui-gtk/graphics.c	Tue Dec 26 22:50:52 2000
+++ client/gui-gtk/graphics.c	Sat Jan  6 18:02:59 2001
@@ -122,11 +122,11 @@
 
   y=radar_gfx_sprite->height-(lin+((int)(1.5*main_font->descent)));
 
-  w = gdk_string_width(main_font, WORD_VERSION);
+  w = gdk_string_width(main_font, word_version());
   gdk_draw_string(radar_gfx_sprite->pixmap, main_font,
-		  toplevel->style->black_gc, (tot/2-w/2)+1, y+1, WORD_VERSION);
+		  toplevel->style->black_gc, (tot/2-w/2)+1, y+1, word_version());
   gdk_draw_string(radar_gfx_sprite->pixmap, main_font,
-		  toplevel->style->white_gc, tot/2-w/2, y, WORD_VERSION);
+		  toplevel->style->white_gc, tot/2-w/2, y, word_version());
 
   y+=lin;
 
diff client/gui-gtk/helpdlg.c client/gui-gtk/helpdlg.c
--- client/gui-gtk/helpdlg.c	Sat Dec 30 16:18:05 2000
+++ client/gui-gtk/helpdlg.c	Sat Jan  6 18:02:59 2001
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@
   if(!strcmp(topic, "Freeciv")
      || !strcmp(topic, "About")
      || !strcmp(topic, _("About"))) {
-    gtk_frame_set_label(GTK_FRAME(help_frame), FREECIV_NAME_VERSION);
+    gtk_frame_set_label(GTK_FRAME(help_frame), freeciv_name_version());
   } else {
     gtk_frame_set_label(GTK_FRAME(help_frame), topic);
   }
diff client/gui-mui/helpdlg.c client/gui-mui/helpdlg.c
--- client/gui-mui/helpdlg.c	Tue Dec 26 22:50:55 2000
+++ client/gui-mui/helpdlg.c	Sat Jan  6 18:31:37 2001
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@
       || !strcmp(topic, "About")
       || !strcmp(topic, _("About")))
   {
-    text = FREECIV_NAME_VERSION;
+    text = freeciv_name_version();
   }
   else
   {
diff client/gui-xaw/graphics.c client/gui-xaw/graphics.c
--- client/gui-xaw/graphics.c	Tue Dec 26 22:51:00 2000
+++ client/gui-xaw/graphics.c	Sat Jan  6 18:30:08 2001
@@ -120,15 +120,15 @@
 
   y=radar_gfx_sprite->height-(lin+((int)(1.5*main_font_struct->descent)));
 
-  w=XTextWidth(main_font_struct, WORD_VERSION, strlen(WORD_VERSION));
+  w=XTextWidth(main_font_struct, word_version(), strlen(word_version()));
   XSetForeground(display, font_gc, colors_standard[COLOR_STD_BLACK]);
   XDrawString(display, radar_gfx_sprite->pixmap, font_gc, 
 	      (tot/2-w/2)+1, y+1, 
-	      WORD_VERSION, strlen(WORD_VERSION));
+	      word_version(), strlen(word_version()));
   XSetForeground(display, font_gc, colors_standard[COLOR_STD_WHITE]);
   XDrawString(display, radar_gfx_sprite->pixmap, font_gc, 
 	      tot/2-w/2, y, 
-	      WORD_VERSION, strlen(WORD_VERSION));
+	      word_version(), strlen(word_version()));
 
   y+=lin;
 
diff client/gui-xaw/helpdlg.c client/gui-xaw/helpdlg.c
--- client/gui-xaw/helpdlg.c	Sat Dec 30 16:18:05 2000
+++ client/gui-xaw/helpdlg.c	Sat Jan  6 18:30:02 2001
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@
   if(!strcmp(pitem->topic, "Freeciv")
      || !strcmp(pitem->topic, "About")
      || !strcmp(pitem->topic, _("About"))) {
-    xaw_set_label(help_title, FREECIV_NAME_VERSION);
+    xaw_set_label(help_title, freeciv_name_version());
   } else {
     xaw_set_label(help_title, pitem->topic);
   }
diff common/version.c common/version.c
--- common/version.c	Tue Dec 26 22:51:09 2000
+++ common/version.c	Sat Jan  6 18:03:59 2001
@@ -20,6 +20,37 @@
 
 #include "version.h"
 
+
+/********************************************************************** 
+  ...
+***********************************************************************/
+char *freeciv_name_version()
+{
+  static char msgbuf[128];
+
+#if IS_BETA_VERSION
+  my_snprintf(msgbuf, sizeof (msgbuf), _("Freeciv version %s %s"),
+              VERSION_STRING, _("(beta version)"));
+#else
+  my_snprintf(msgbuf, sizeof (msgbuf), _("Freeciv version %s"),
+              VERSION_STRING);
+#endif
+
+  return msgbuf;
+}
+
+/********************************************************************** 
+  ...
+***********************************************************************/
+char *word_version()
+{
+#if IS_BETA_VERSION
+  return _("betatest version ");
+#else
+  return _("version ");
+#endif
+}
+
 /********************************************************************** 
   Return the BETA message.
   If returns NULL, not a beta version.
diff common/version.h common/version.h
--- common/version.h	Tue Dec 26 22:51:09 2000
+++ common/version.h	Sat Jan  6 18:02:59 2001
@@ -58,16 +58,10 @@
                        VER_STRINGIFY(PATCH_VERSION) VERSION_LABEL
 #endif
 
-/* below, FREECIV_NAME_VERSION uses pre-processor string concatenation --dwp */
-#if IS_BETA_VERSION
-#define FREECIV_NAME_VERSION "Freeciv version " VERSION_STRING " (beta version)"
-#define WORD_VERSION "betatest version"
-#else
-#define FREECIV_NAME_VERSION "Freeciv version " VERSION_STRING
-#define WORD_VERSION "version"
-#endif
-
 /* If returns NULL, not a beta version. */
 char *beta_message (void);
+
+char *freeciv_name_version();
+char *word_version();
 
 #endif  /* FC__VERSION_H */
diff server/civserver.c server/civserver.c
--- server/civserver.c	Tue Dec 26 22:52:33 2000
+++ server/civserver.c	Sat Jan  6 18:02:59 2001
@@ -111,10 +111,10 @@
   }
 
   if (showvers && !showhelp) {
-    fprintf(stderr, FREECIV_NAME_VERSION "\n");
+    fprintf(stderr, "%s \n", freeciv_name_version());
     exit(0);
   }
-  con_write(C_VERSION, _("This is the server for %s"), FREECIV_NAME_VERSION);
+  con_write(C_VERSION, _("This is the server for %s"), freeciv_name_version());
   con_write(C_COMMENT, _("You can learn a lot about Freeciv at %s"),
 	    WEBSITE_URL);
 
diff server/srv_main.c server/srv_main.c
--- server/srv_main.c	Fri Dec 29 21:45:13 2000
+++ server/srv_main.c	Sat Jan  6 18:02:59 2001
@@ -1316,10 +1316,10 @@
   
   if (my_gethostname(hostname, sizeof(hostname))==0) {
     notify_conn(dest, _("Welcome to the %s Server running at %s port %d."), 
-		FREECIV_NAME_VERSION, hostname, srvarg.port);
+		freeciv_name_version(), hostname, srvarg.port);
   } else {
     notify_conn(dest, _("Welcome to the %s Server at port %d."),
-		FREECIV_NAME_VERSION, srvarg.port);
+		freeciv_name_version(), srvarg.port);
   }
 
   /* tell who we're waiting on to end the game turn */