diff --git a/examples/aobench/Makefile b/examples/aobench/Makefile
index 66fde5d3..126e8ed3 100644
--- a/examples/aobench/Makefile
+++ b/examples/aobench/Makefile
@@ -1,39 +1,7 @@
 
-ARCH = $(shell uname)
+EXAMPLE=ao
+CPP_SRC=ao.cpp ao_serial.cpp
+ISPC_SRC=ao.ispc
+ISPC_TARGETS=sse2,sse4,avx
 
-TASK_CXX=../tasksys.cpp
-TASK_LIB=-lpthread
-TASK_OBJ=$(addprefix objs/, $(subst ../,, $(TASK_CXX:.cpp=.o)))
-
-CXX=g++
-CXXFLAGS=-Iobjs/ -O3 -Wall -m64
-ISPC=ispc
-ISPCFLAGS=-O2 --target=sse2,sse4,avx --arch=x86-64
-
-ISPC_OBJS=objs/ao_ispc.o objs/ao_ispc_sse2.o objs/ao_ispc_sse4.o \
-	objs/ao_ispc_avx.o
-OBJS=objs/ao.o objs/ao_serial.o $(ISPC_OBJS) $(TASK_OBJ)
-
-default: ao
-
-.PHONY: dirs clean
-
-dirs:
-	/bin/mkdir -p objs/
-
-clean:
-	/bin/rm -rf objs *~ ao
-
-ao: dirs $(OBJS) $(TASK_OBJ)
-	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -o $@ $(OBJS) -lm $(TASK_LIB)
-
-objs/%.o: %.cpp
-	$(CXX) $< $(CXXFLAGS) -c -o $@
-
-objs/%.o: ../%.cpp
-	$(CXX) $< $(CXXFLAGS) -c -o $@
-
-objs/ao.o: objs/ao_ispc.h 
-
-objs/%_ispc.h objs/%_ispc.o objs/%_ispc_sse2.o objs/%_ispc_sse4.o objs/%_ispc_avx.o: %.ispc
-	$(ISPC) $(ISPCFLAGS) $< -o objs/$*_ispc.o -h objs/$*_ispc.h
+include ../common.mk
diff --git a/examples/common.mk b/examples/common.mk
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5c5377c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/common.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+
+TASK_CXX=../tasksys.cpp
+TASK_LIB=-lpthread
+TASK_OBJ=tasksys.o
+
+CXX=g++
+CXXFLAGS=-Iobjs/ -O2 -m64
+LIBS=-lm $(TASK_LIB) -lstdc++
+ISPC=ispc -O2 --arch=x86-64 $(ISPC_FLAGS)
+ISPC_OBJS=$(addprefix objs/, $(ISPC_SRC:.ispc=)_ispc.o $(ISPC_SRC:.ispc=)_ispc_sse2.o \
+	$(ISPC_SRC:.ispc=)_ispc_sse4.o $(ISPC_SRC:.ispc=)_ispc_avx.o)
+ISPC_HEADER=objs/$(ISPC_SRC:.ispc=_ispc.h)
+CPP_OBJS=$(addprefix objs/, $(CPP_SRC:.cpp=.o) $(TASK_OBJ))
+
+default: $(EXAMPLE)
+
+all: $(EXAMPLE) $(EXAMPLE)-sse4 $(EXAMPLE)-generic16
+
+.PHONY: dirs clean
+
+dirs:
+	/bin/mkdir -p objs/
+
+objs/%.cpp objs/%.o objs/%.h: dirs
+
+clean:
+	/bin/rm -rf objs *~ $(EXAMPLE) $(EXAMPLE)-sse4 $(EXAMPLE)-generic16
+
+$(EXAMPLE): $(CPP_OBJS) $(ISPC_OBJS)
+	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -o $@ $^ $(LIBS)
+
+objs/%.o: %.cpp dirs $(ISPC_HEADER)
+	$(CXX) $< $(CXXFLAGS) -c -o $@
+
+objs/%.o: ../%.cpp dirs
+	$(CXX) $< $(CXXFLAGS) -c -o $@
+
+objs/$(EXAMPLE).o: objs/$(EXAMPLE)_ispc.h
+
+objs/%_ispc.h objs/%_ispc.o objs/%_ispc_sse2.o objs/%_ispc_sse4.o objs/%_ispc_avx.o: %.ispc
+	$(ISPC) --target=$(ISPC_TARGETS) $< -o objs/$*_ispc.o -h objs/$*_ispc.h
+
+objs/$(ISPC_SRC:.ispc=)_sse4.cpp: $(ISPC_SRC)
+	$(ISPC) $< -o $@ --target=generic-4 --emit-c++ --c++-include-file=sse4.h
+
+objs/$(ISPC_SRC:.ispc=)_sse4.o: objs/$(ISPC_SRC:.ispc=)_sse4.cpp
+	$(CXX) -I../intrinsics -msse4.2 $< $(CXXFLAGS) -c -o $@
+
+$(EXAMPLE)-sse4: $(CPP_OBJS) objs/$(ISPC_SRC:.ispc=)_sse4.o
+	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -o $@ $^ $(LIBS)
+
+objs/$(ISPC_SRC:.ispc=)_generic16.cpp: $(ISPC_SRC)
+	$(ISPC) $< -o $@ --target=generic-16 --emit-c++ --c++-include-file=generic-16.h
+
+objs/$(ISPC_SRC:.ispc=)_generic16.o: objs/$(ISPC_SRC:.ispc=)_generic16.cpp
+	$(CXX) -I../intrinsics $< $(CXXFLAGS) -c -o $@
+
+$(EXAMPLE)-generic16: $(CPP_OBJS) objs/$(ISPC_SRC:.ispc=)_generic16.o
+	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -o $@ $^ $(LIBS)
diff --git a/examples/deferred/Makefile b/examples/deferred/Makefile
index a6bc5e53..d98b1c4e 100644
--- a/examples/deferred/Makefile
+++ b/examples/deferred/Makefile
@@ -1,38 +1,8 @@
 
-ARCH = $(shell uname)
+EXAMPLE=deferred_shading
+CPP_SRC=common.cpp main.cpp dynamic_c.cpp dynamic_cilk.cpp
+ISPC_SRC=kernels.ispc
+ISPC_TARGETS=sse2,sse4-x2,avx-x2
+ISPC_FLAGS=--opt=fast-math
 
-TASK_CXX=../tasksys.cpp
-TASK_LIB=-lpthread
-TASK_OBJ=$(addprefix objs/, $(subst ../,, $(TASK_CXX:.cpp=.o)))
-
-CXX=g++
-CXXFLAGS=-Iobjs/ -O3 -Wall -m64
-ISPC=ispc
-ISPCFLAGS=-O2 --target=sse2,sse4-x2,avx-x2 --arch=x86-64 --math-lib=fast
-
-OBJS=objs/main.o objs/common.o objs/kernels_ispc.o objs/kernels_ispc_sse2.o \
-	objs/kernels_ispc_sse4.o objs/kernels_ispc_avx.o \
-	objs/dynamic_c.o objs/dynamic_cilk.o
-
-default: deferred_shading
-
-.PHONY: dirs clean
-.PRECIOUS: objs/kernels_ispc.h
-
-dirs:
-	/bin/mkdir -p objs/
-
-clean:
-	/bin/rm -rf objs *~ deferred_shading
-
-deferred_shading: dirs $(OBJS) $(TASK_OBJ)
-	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -o $@ $(OBJS) $(TASK_OBJ) -lm $(TASK_LIB)
-
-objs/%.o: %.cpp objs/kernels_ispc.h deferred.h
-	$(CXX) $< $(CXXFLAGS) -c -o $@
-
-objs/%.o: ../%.cpp
-	$(CXX) $< $(CXXFLAGS) -c -o $@
-
-objs/%_ispc.h objs/%_ispc.o objs/%_ispc_sse2.o objs/%_ispc_sse4.o objs/%_ispc_avx.o: %.ispc
-	$(ISPC) $(ISPCFLAGS) $< -o objs/$*_ispc.o -h objs/$*_ispc.h
+include ../common.mk
diff --git a/examples/mandelbrot/Makefile b/examples/mandelbrot/Makefile
index 256500c9..8cff944e 100644
--- a/examples/mandelbrot/Makefile
+++ b/examples/mandelbrot/Makefile
@@ -1,30 +1,7 @@
 
-CXX=g++ -m64
-CXXFLAGS=-Iobjs/ -O3 -Wall
-ISPC=ispc
-ISPCFLAGS=-O2 --target=sse2,sse4-x2,avx-x2 --arch=x86-64
+EXAMPLE=mandelbrot
+CPP_SRC=mandelbrot.cpp mandelbrot_serial.cpp
+ISPC_SRC=mandelbrot.ispc
+ISPC_TARGETS=sse2,sse4-x2,avx-x2
 
-default: mandelbrot
-
-.PHONY: dirs clean
-
-dirs:
-	/bin/mkdir -p objs/
-
-clean:
-	/bin/rm -rf objs *~ mandelbrot
-
-OBJS=objs/mandelbrot.o objs/mandelbrot_serial.o objs/mandelbrot_ispc_sse2.o \
-	objs/mandelbrot_ispc_sse4.o objs/mandelbrot_ispc_avx.o \
-	objs/mandelbrot_ispc.o
-
-mandelbrot: dirs $(OBJS)
-	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -o $@ $(OBJS) -lm
-
-objs/%.o: %.cpp
-	$(CXX) $< $(CXXFLAGS) -c -o $@
-
-objs/mandelbrot.o: objs/mandelbrot_ispc.h 
-
-objs/%_ispc.h objs/%_ispc.o objs/%_ispc_sse2.o objs/%_ispc_sse4.o objs/%_ispc_avx.o: %.ispc
-	$(ISPC) $(ISPCFLAGS) $< -o objs/$*_ispc.o -h objs/$*_ispc.h
+include ../common.mk
diff --git a/examples/mandelbrot_tasks/Makefile b/examples/mandelbrot_tasks/Makefile
index 10e1e3d9..8cff944e 100644
--- a/examples/mandelbrot_tasks/Makefile
+++ b/examples/mandelbrot_tasks/Makefile
@@ -1,39 +1,7 @@
 
-ARCH = $(shell uname)
+EXAMPLE=mandelbrot
+CPP_SRC=mandelbrot.cpp mandelbrot_serial.cpp
+ISPC_SRC=mandelbrot.ispc
+ISPC_TARGETS=sse2,sse4-x2,avx-x2
 
-TASK_CXX=../tasksys.cpp
-TASK_LIB=-lpthread
-TASK_OBJ=$(addprefix objs/, $(subst ../,, $(TASK_CXX:.cpp=.o)))
-
-CXX=g++
-CXXFLAGS=-Iobjs/ -O3 -Wall -m64
-ISPC=ispc
-ISPCFLAGS=-O2 --target=sse2,sse4-x2,avx-x2 --arch=x86-64
-
-OBJS=objs/mandelbrot.o objs/mandelbrot_serial.o $(TASK_OBJ) \
-	objs/mandelbrot_ispc.o objs/mandelbrot_ispc_sse2.o \
-	objs/mandelbrot_ispc_sse4.o objs/mandelbrot_ispc_avx.o 
-
-default: mandelbrot
-
-.PHONY: dirs clean
-
-dirs:
-	/bin/mkdir -p objs/
-
-clean:
-	/bin/rm -rf objs *~ mandelbrot
-
-mandelbrot: dirs $(OBJS)
-	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -o $@ $(OBJS) -lm $(TASK_LIB)
-
-objs/%.o: %.cpp
-	$(CXX) $< $(CXXFLAGS) -c -o $@
-
-objs/%.o: ../%.cpp
-	$(CXX) $< $(CXXFLAGS) -c -o $@
-
-objs/mandelbrot.o: objs/mandelbrot_ispc.h 
-
-objs/%_ispc.h objs/%_ispc.o objs/%_ispc_sse2.o objs/%_ispc_sse4.o objs/%_ispc_avx.o: %.ispc
-	$(ISPC) $(ISPCFLAGS) $< -o objs/$*_ispc.o -h objs/$*_ispc.h
+include ../common.mk
diff --git a/examples/noise/Makefile b/examples/noise/Makefile
index f2158742..4bda4527 100644
--- a/examples/noise/Makefile
+++ b/examples/noise/Makefile
@@ -1,29 +1,7 @@
 
-CXX=g++ -m64
-CXXFLAGS=-Iobjs/ -O3 -Wall
-ISPC=ispc
-ISPCFLAGS=-O2 --target=sse2,sse4,avx-x2 --arch=x86-64
+EXAMPLE=noise
+CPP_SRC=$(EXAMPLE).cpp $(EXAMPLE)_serial.cpp
+ISPC_SRC=noise.ispc
+ISPC_TARGETS=sse2,sse4,avx-x2
 
-OBJS=objs/noise.o objs/noise_serial.o objs/noise_ispc.o objs/noise_ispc_sse2.o \
-	objs/noise_ispc_sse4.o objs/noise_ispc_avx.o 
-
-default: noise
-
-.PHONY: dirs clean
-
-dirs:
-	/bin/mkdir -p objs/
-
-clean:
-	/bin/rm -rf objs *~ noise
-
-noise: dirs $(OBJS)
-	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -o $@ $(OBJS) -lm
-
-objs/%.o: %.cpp
-	$(CXX) $< $(CXXFLAGS) -c -o $@
-
-objs/noise.o: objs/noise_ispc.h 
-
-objs/%_ispc.h objs/%_ispc.o objs/%_ispc_sse2.o objs/%_ispc_sse4.o objs/%_ispc_avx.o: %.ispc
-	$(ISPC) $(ISPCFLAGS) $< -o objs/$*_ispc.o -h objs/$*_ispc.h
+include ../common.mk
diff --git a/examples/options/Makefile b/examples/options/Makefile
index c9574bc7..1a4f0a59 100644
--- a/examples/options/Makefile
+++ b/examples/options/Makefile
@@ -1,38 +1,7 @@
 
-TASK_CXX=../tasksys.cpp
-TASK_LIB=-lpthread
-TASK_OBJ=$(addprefix objs/, $(subst ../,, $(TASK_CXX:.cpp=.o)))
+EXAMPLE=options
+CPP_SRC=options.cpp options_serial.cpp
+ISPC_SRC=options.ispc
+ISPC_TARGETS=sse2,sse4-x2,avx-x2
 
-
-CXX=g++ -m64
-CXXFLAGS=-Iobjs/ -O3 -Wall
-ISPC=ispc
-ISPCFLAGS=-O2 --target=sse2,sse4-x2,avx-x2 --arch=x86-64
-
-OBJS=objs/options.o objs/options_serial.o objs/options_ispc.o \
-	objs/options_ispc_sse2.o objs/options_ispc_sse4.o \
-	objs/options_ispc_avx.o $(TASK_OBJ)
-
-default: options
-
-.PHONY: dirs clean
-
-dirs:
-	/bin/mkdir -p objs/
-
-clean:
-	/bin/rm -rf objs *~ options
-
-options: dirs $(OBJS)
-	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -o $@ $(OBJS) -lm $(TASK_LIB)
-
-objs/%.o: %.cpp
-	$(CXX) $< $(CXXFLAGS) -c -o $@
-
-objs/%.o: ../%.cpp
-	$(CXX) $< $(CXXFLAGS) -c -o $@
-
-objs/options.o: objs/options_ispc.h options_defs.h
-
-objs/%_ispc.h objs/%_ispc.o objs/%_ispc_sse2.o objs/%_ispc_sse4.o objs/%_ispc_avx.o: %.ispc options_defs.h
-	$(ISPC) $(ISPCFLAGS) $< -o objs/$*_ispc.o -h objs/$*_ispc.h
+include ../common.mk
diff --git a/examples/rt/Makefile b/examples/rt/Makefile
index f5f2318f..1e1219e4 100644
--- a/examples/rt/Makefile
+++ b/examples/rt/Makefile
@@ -1,38 +1,7 @@
 
-ARCH = $(shell uname)
+EXAMPLE=rt
+CPP_SRC=rt.cpp rt_serial.cpp
+ISPC_SRC=rt.ispc
+ISPC_TARGETS=sse2,sse4-x2,avx
 
-TASK_CXX=../tasksys.cpp
-TASK_LIB=-lpthread
-TASK_OBJ=$(addprefix objs/, $(subst ../,, $(TASK_CXX:.cpp=.o)))
-
-CXX=g++
-CXXFLAGS=-Iobjs/ -O3 -Wall -m64
-ISPC=ispc
-ISPCFLAGS=-O2 --target=sse2,sse4-x2,avx --arch=x86-64
-
-OBJS=objs/rt.o objs/rt_serial.o $(TASK_OBJ) objs/rt_ispc.o objs/rt_ispc_sse2.o \
-	objs/rt_ispc_sse4.o objs/rt_ispc_avx.o
-
-default: rt
-
-.PHONY: dirs clean
-
-dirs:
-	/bin/mkdir -p objs/
-
-clean:
-	/bin/rm -rf objs *~ rt
-
-rt: dirs $(OBJS)
-	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -o $@ $(OBJS) -lm $(TASK_LIB)
-
-objs/%.o: %.cpp
-	$(CXX) $< $(CXXFLAGS) -c -o $@
-
-objs/%.o: ../%.cpp
-	$(CXX) $< $(CXXFLAGS) -c -o $@
-
-objs/rt.o: objs/rt_ispc.h 
-
-objs/%_ispc.h objs/%_ispc.o objs/%_ispc_sse2.o objs/%_ispc_sse4.o objs/%_ispc_avx.o: %.ispc
-	$(ISPC) $(ISPCFLAGS) $< -o objs/$*_ispc.o -h objs/$*_ispc.h
+include ../common.mk
diff --git a/examples/stencil/Makefile b/examples/stencil/Makefile
index 2263d57a..7b58fe0b 100644
--- a/examples/stencil/Makefile
+++ b/examples/stencil/Makefile
@@ -1,39 +1,7 @@
 
-ARCH = $(shell uname)
+EXAMPLE=stencil
+CPP_SRC=stencil.cpp stencil_serial.cpp
+ISPC_SRC=stencil.ispc
+ISPC_TARGETS=sse2,sse4-x2,avx-x2
 
-TASK_CXX=../tasksys.cpp
-TASK_LIB=-lpthread
-TASK_OBJ=$(addprefix objs/, $(subst ../,, $(TASK_CXX:.cpp=.o)))
-
-CXX=g++
-CXXFLAGS=-Iobjs/ -O3 -Wall -m64
-ISPC=ispc
-ISPCFLAGS=-O2 --target=sse2,sse4-x2,avx-x2 --arch=x86-64
-
-OBJS=objs/stencil.o objs/stencil_serial.o $(TASK_OBJ) objs/stencil_ispc.o \
-	objs/stencil_ispc_sse2.o objs/stencil_ispc_sse4.o \
-	objs/stencil_ispc_avx.o
-
-default: stencil
-
-.PHONY: dirs clean
-
-dirs:
-	/bin/mkdir -p objs/
-
-clean:
-	/bin/rm -rf objs *~ stencil
-
-stencil: dirs $(OBJS)
-	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -o $@ $(OBJS) -lm $(TASK_LIB)
-
-objs/%.o: %.cpp
-	$(CXX) $< $(CXXFLAGS) -c -o $@
-
-objs/%.o: ../%.cpp
-	$(CXX) $< $(CXXFLAGS) -c -o $@
-
-objs/stencil.o: objs/stencil_ispc.h 
-
-objs/%_ispc.h objs/%_ispc.o objs/%_ispc_sse2.o objs/%_ispc_sse4.o objs/%_ispc_avx.o: %.ispc
-	$(ISPC) $(ISPCFLAGS) $< -o objs/$*_ispc.o -h objs/$*_ispc.h
+include ../common.mk
diff --git a/examples/volume_rendering/Makefile b/examples/volume_rendering/Makefile
index 2c7bcf2e..0ae93b58 100644
--- a/examples/volume_rendering/Makefile
+++ b/examples/volume_rendering/Makefile
@@ -1,38 +1,7 @@
 
-ARCH = $(shell uname)
+EXAMPLE=volume
+CPP_SRC=volume.cpp volume_serial.cpp
+ISPC_SRC=volume.ispc
+ISPC_TARGETS=sse2,sse4-x2,avx
 
-TASK_CXX=../tasksys.cpp
-TASK_LIB=-lpthread
-TASK_OBJ=$(addprefix objs/, $(subst ../,, $(TASK_CXX:.cpp=.o)))
-
-CXX=g++
-CXXFLAGS=-Iobjs/ -O3 -Wall -m64
-ISPC=ispc
-ISPCFLAGS=-O2 --target=sse2,sse4-x2,avx --arch=x86-64
-
-OBJS=objs/volume.o objs/volume_serial.o $(TASK_OBJ) objs/volume_ispc.o \
-	objs/volume_ispc_sse2.o objs/volume_ispc_sse4.o objs/volume_ispc_avx.o
-
-default: volume
-
-.PHONY: dirs clean
-
-dirs:
-	/bin/mkdir -p objs/
-
-clean:
-	/bin/rm -rf objs *~ volume
-
-volume: dirs $(OBJS)
-	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -o $@ $(OBJS) -lm $(TASK_LIB)
-
-objs/%.o: %.cpp
-	$(CXX) $< $(CXXFLAGS) -c -o $@
-
-objs/%.o: ../%.cpp
-	$(CXX) $< $(CXXFLAGS) -c -o $@
-
-objs/volume.o: objs/volume_ispc.h 
-
-objs/%_ispc.h objs/%_ispc.o objs/%_ispc_sse2.o objs/%_ispc_sse4.o objs/%_ispc_avx.o: %.ispc
-	$(ISPC) $(ISPCFLAGS) $< -o objs/$*_ispc.o -h objs/$*_ispc.h
+include ../common.mk