i downloaded gnome panel using apt-get and made a few subtle changes to already existing
files. after doing ./configure when i type make the following is displayed


make all-recursive
make[1]: Entering directory `/root/gnome/a/gnome-panel-2.14.3'
Making all in po
make[2]: Entering directory `/root/gnome/a/gnome-panel-2.14.3/po'
file=`echo af | sed 's,.*/,,'`.gmo \
&& rm -f $file && -o $file af.po
/bin/sh: line 1: -o: command not found
make[2]: *** [af.gmo] Error 127
make[2]: Leaving directory `/root/gnome/a/gnome-panel-2.14.3/po'
make[1]: *** [all-recursive] Error 1
make[1]: Leaving directory `/root/gnome/a/gnome-panel-2.14.3'
make: *** [all] Error 2

You need to install gettext.