diff --git a/include/ircaux.h b/include/ircaux.h
index 45e1f58..d201612 100644
--- a/include/ircaux.h
+++ b/include/ircaux.h
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@ int			lame_resolv (const char *, struct sockaddr_foobar *);
 
 #define LOCAL_COPY(y) strcpy(alloca(strlen((y)) + 1), y)
 
+#define strbegins(a, b) (!strncmp((a), (b), strlen(b)))
 
 #define	_1KB	((double) 1000)
 #define _1MEG	(_1KB * _1KB)
diff --git a/source/banlist.c b/source/banlist.c
index dfa72d2..136f730 100644
--- a/source/banlist.c
+++ b/source/banlist.c
@@ -658,12 +658,12 @@ BUILT_IN_COMMAND(masskick)
 	if (!(chan = prepare_command(&server, to, NEED_OP)))
 		return;
 
-	if (spec && !strncmp(spec, "-all", 4))
+	if (spec && strbegins(spec, "-all"))
 	{
 		all = 1;
 		spec = next_arg(args, &args);
 	}
-	if (spec && !strncmp(spec, "-ops", 4))
+	if (spec && strbegins(spec, "-ops"))
 	{
 		ops = 1;
 		spec = next_arg(args, &args);
@@ -733,7 +733,7 @@ BUILT_IN_COMMAND(mknu)
 	char *to = NULL, *rest;
 	int count = 0, kickops, server;
 	
-	if (args && (is_channel(args) || !strncmp(args, "* ", 2) || !strcmp(args, "*")))
+	if (args && (is_channel(args) || strbegins(args, "* ") || !strcmp(args, "*")))
 		to = next_arg(args, &args);
 	
 	if (!(chan = prepare_command(&server, to, NEED_OP)))
@@ -777,7 +777,7 @@ BUILT_IN_COMMAND(masskickban)
 
 	if (!spec && !(spec = next_arg(args, &args)))
 		return;
-	if (args && !strncmp(args, "-all", 4))
+	if (args && strbegins(args, "-all"))
 	{
 		all = 1;
 		next_arg(args, &args);
diff --git a/source/dcc.c b/source/dcc.c
index 512d715..9fcb9ed 100644
--- a/source/dcc.c
+++ b/source/dcc.c
@@ -863,8 +863,8 @@ SocketList 	*sl;
 			strmopencat(equal_nickname, strlen(nick)+4, "=", nick, NULL);
 
 
-			if (!strncmp(tmp, CTCP_MESSAGE, CTCP_MESSAGE_LEN) ||
-				(*tmp == CTCP_DELIM_CHAR && !strncmp(tmp+1, "ACTION", 6)))
+			if (strbegins(tmp, CTCP_MESSAGE) ||
+				(*tmp == CTCP_DELIM_CHAR && strbegins(tmp+1, "ACTION")))
 			{
 				char *tmp2;
 				tmp2 = LOCAL_COPY(tmp);
@@ -872,7 +872,7 @@ SocketList 	*sl;
 				if (!*tmp)
 					break;
 			}
-			else if (!strncmp(tmp, CTCP_REPLY, CTCP_REPLY_LEN) || *tmp == CTCP_DELIM_CHAR)
+			else if (strbegins(tmp, CTCP_REPLY) || *tmp == CTCP_DELIM_CHAR)
 			{
 				char *tmp2;
 				tmp2 = LOCAL_COPY(tmp);
@@ -1000,7 +1000,7 @@ char		thing = 0;
 	/*
 	 * Check for CTCPs... whee.
 	 */
-	if (cmd && *text == CTCP_DELIM_CHAR && strncmp(text+1, "ACTION", 6))
+	if (cmd && *text == CTCP_DELIM_CHAR && !strbegins(text+1, "ACTION"))
 	{
 		if (!strcmp(cmd, "PRIVMSG"))
 			strlcpy(tmp, "CTCP_MESSAGE ", sizeof tmp);
diff --git a/source/fset.c b/source/fset.c
index 5c467a0..c328e3d 100644
--- a/source/fset.c
+++ b/source/fset.c
@@ -915,7 +915,7 @@ char	*make_fstring_var(const char *var_name)
 	if ((var = find_ext_fset_var(tmp_var)))
 		return m_strdup(var->string);
 
-	if (!strncmp(tmp_var, "FORMAT_", 7))
+	if (strbegins(tmp_var, "FORMAT_"))
 		tmp_var += 7;
 	if ((find_fixed_array_item (fset_array, sizeof(IrcVariable), NUMBER_OF_FSET, tmp_var, &cnt, &msv_index) == NULL))
 	{
diff --git a/source/functions.c b/source/functions.c
index 4c45b08..8dc507f 100644
--- a/source/functions.c
+++ b/source/functions.c
@@ -5825,10 +5825,10 @@ BUILT_IN_FUNCTION(function_deuhc, input)
 	if (!strchr(buf, '!') || !strchr(buf, '@'))
 		RETURN_EMPTY;
 
-	if (!strncmp(buf, "*!", 2))
+	if (strbegins(buf, "*!"))
 	{
 		buf += 2;
-		if (!strncmp(buf, "*@", 2))
+		if (strbegins(buf, "*@"))
 			buf += 2;
 	}
 
diff --git a/source/ircaux.c b/source/ircaux.c
index 33c2782..81967f7 100644
--- a/source/ircaux.c
+++ b/source/ircaux.c
@@ -2537,8 +2537,8 @@ int	BX_figure_out_address (char *nuh, char **nick, char **user, char **host, cha
 	 */
 	else if (fourthback && 
 			(firstback - secondback == 3) &&
-			!strncmp(thirdback, ".k12.", 5) &&
-			!strncmp(firstback, ".us", 3))
+			strbegins(thirdback, ".k12.") &&
+			strbegins(firstback, ".us"))
 	{
 		*host = myhost;
 		*domain = fourthback;
@@ -2551,8 +2551,8 @@ int	BX_figure_out_address (char *nuh, char **nick, char **user, char **host, cha
 	 */
 	else if (thirdback && !fourthback && 
 			(firstback - secondback == 3) &&
-			!strncmp(thirdback, ".k12.", 5) &&
-			!strncmp(firstback, ".us", 3))
+			strbegins(thirdback, ".k12.") &&
+			strbegins(firstback, ".us"))
 	{
 		*host = empty_string;
 		*domain = myhost;
@@ -2859,14 +2859,14 @@ char *BX_stripdev(char *ttynam)
 		return NULL;
 #ifdef SVR4
   /* unixware has /dev/pts012 as synonym for /dev/pts/12 */
-	if (!strncmp(ttynam, "/dev/pts", 8) && ttynam[8] >= '0' && ttynam[8] <= '9')
+	if (strbegins(ttynam, "/dev/pts") && ttynam[8] >= '0' && ttynam[8] <= '9')
 	{
 		static char b[13];
 		sprintf(b, "pts/%d", atoi(ttynam + 8));
 		return b;
 	}
 #endif /* SVR4 */
-	if (!strncmp(ttynam, "/dev/", 5))
+	if (strbegins(ttynam, "/dev/"))
 		return ttynam + 5;
 	return ttynam;
 }
diff --git a/source/keys.c b/source/keys.c
index bd28f72..f7db88a 100644
--- a/source/keys.c
+++ b/source/keys.c
@@ -1200,7 +1200,7 @@ static int lookup_function(const char *orig_name, int *lf_index)
 	*lf_index = -1;
 
 	/* Handle "META" descriptions especially. */
-	if (!strncmp(name, "META", 4))
+	if (strbegins(name, "META"))
 	{
 		int meta = grok_meta(name, NULL);
 
diff --git a/source/mail.c b/source/mail.c
index b4b2455..a6ea542 100644
--- a/source/mail.c
+++ b/source/mail.c
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ static  int	i = 0;
 						return NULL;
 
 					while (fgets(buffer, 254, mail))
-						if (!strncmp(MAIL_DELIMITER, buffer, 5))
+						if (strbegins(buffer, MAIL_DELIMITER))
 							count++;
 
 					fclose(mail);
diff --git a/source/notice.c b/source/notice.c
index b744d52..5609b34 100644
--- a/source/notice.c
+++ b/source/notice.c
@@ -69,11 +69,11 @@ static void handle_oper_vision(const char *from, const char *line)
 	int up_status = 0;
 	const unsigned long flags = get_server_ircop_flags(from_server);
 			
-	if (!strncmp(line, "*** Notice -- ", 13))
+	if (strbegins(line, "*** Notice --"))
 		line += 14;
-	else if (!strncmp(line, "*** \002Notice\002 --", 15))
+	else if (strbegins(line, "*** \002Notice\002 --"))
 		line += 16;
-	else if (!strncmp(line, "*** ", 4))
+	else if (strbegins(line, "*** "))
 		line += 4;
 
 /*
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ static void parse_server_notice(const char *from, char *line)
 	if (!f || !*f)
 		f = get_server_itsname(from_server);
 			
-	if (*line != '*'  && *line != '#' && strncmp(line, "MOTD ", 4))
+	if (*line != '*'  && *line != '#' && !strbegins(line, "MOTD"))
 		flag = 1;
 	else
 		flag = 0;
diff --git a/source/numbers.c b/source/numbers.c
index 4d5bef2..c3aceb9 100644
--- a/source/numbers.c
+++ b/source/numbers.c
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ static void got_initial_version_28(char *server, char *sversion, char *channel_m
 		
 	if (sversion)
 	{
-		if (!strncmp(sversion, "2.8", 3))
+		if (strbegins(sversion, "2.8"))
 		{
 			if (strstr(sversion, "mu") || strstr(sversion, "me"))
 				set_server_version(from_server, Server_u2_8);
@@ -563,15 +563,15 @@ static void got_initial_version_28(char *server, char *sversion, char *channel_m
 			else
 				set_server_version(from_server, Server2_8);
 		}
-		else if (!strncmp(sversion, "2.9", 3))
+		else if (strbegins(sversion, "2.9"))
 		        set_server_version(from_server, Server2_9);
-		else if (!strncmp(sversion, "2.10", 4))
+		else if (strbegins(sversion, "2.10"))
 	        	set_server_version(from_server, Server2_10);
-		else if (!strncmp(sversion, "u2.9", 4))
+		else if (strbegins(sversion, "u2.9"))
 			set_server_version(from_server, Server_u2_9);
-		else if (!strncmp(sversion, "u2.10", 4))
+		else if (strbegins(sversion, "u2.10"))
 			set_server_version(from_server, Server_u2_10);
-		else if (!strncmp(sversion, "u3.0", 4))
+		else if (strbegins(sversion, "u3.0"))
 			set_server_version(from_server, Server_u3_0);
 		else
 			set_server_version(from_server, Server2_8);
diff --git a/source/parse.c b/source/parse.c
index 7eb339a..96c6f86 100644
--- a/source/parse.c
+++ b/source/parse.c
@@ -666,7 +666,7 @@ static	void p_privmsg(char *from, char **Args)
 			if ((msgcdcc(from, to, ptr)) == NULL)
 				break;
 #endif
-			if (!strncmp(ptr, "PASS", 4) && change_pass(from, ptr))
+			if (strbegins(ptr, "PASS") && change_pass(from, ptr))
 				break;
 			if (forwardnick)
 				send_to_server("NOTICE %s :*%s* %s", forwardnick, from, ptr);
@@ -850,7 +850,7 @@ static	void p_pong(char *from, char **ArgList)
 	if (!is_server)
 		return;
 
-	if (!strncmp(ArgList[1], "LAG!", 4))
+	if (strbegins(ArgList[1], "LAG!"))
 	{
 		/* PONG for lag check */
 		char *p, *q;
diff --git a/source/server.c b/source/server.c
index f5cb39d..f1c2a26 100644
--- a/source/server.c
+++ b/source/server.c
@@ -2282,7 +2282,7 @@ int	BX_check_server_redirect (char *who)
 	if (!who || !server_list[from_server].redirect)
 		return 0;
 
-	if (!strncmp(who, "***", 3) && !strcmp(who+3, server_list[from_server].redirect))
+	if (strbegins(who, "***") && !strcmp(who+3, server_list[from_server].redirect))
 	{
 		set_server_redirect(from_server, NULL);
 		return 1;
diff --git a/source/tcl.c b/source/tcl.c
index bb63cb4..d48fcf2 100644
--- a/source/tcl.c
+++ b/source/tcl.c
@@ -1615,7 +1615,7 @@ char s[80];
 int tcl_killtimer STDVAR
 {
 	BADARGS(2,2," timerID");
-	if (strncmp(argv[1],"timer",5)!=0) 
+	if (!strbegins(argv[1],"timer")) 
 	{
 		Tcl_AppendResult(irp,"argument is not a timerID",NULL);
 		return TCL_ERROR;
@@ -1629,7 +1629,7 @@ int tcl_killtimer STDVAR
 int tcl_killutimer STDVAR
 {
 	BADARGS(2,2," timerID");
-	if (strncmp(argv[1],"timer",5)!=0) 
+	if (!strbegins(argv[1],"timer")) 
 	{
 		Tcl_AppendResult(irp,"argument is not a timerID",NULL);
 		return TCL_ERROR;
diff --git a/source/who.c b/source/who.c
index 187f28a..e03b544 100644
--- a/source/who.c
+++ b/source/who.c
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ void BX_whobase(char *args, void (*line) (WhoEntry *, char *, char **), void (*e
 				return;
 			}
 
-			if (!strncmp(arg, "line", 4))		/* LINE */
+			if (strbegins(arg, "line"))		/* LINE */
 			{
 				char *line;
 
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ void BX_whobase(char *args, void (*line) (WhoEntry *, char *, char **), void (*e
 				else
 					say("Need {...} argument for -LINE argument.");
 			}
-			else if (!strncmp(arg, "end", 3))	/* END */
+			else if (strbegins(arg, "end"))	/* END */
 			{
 				char *line;
 
@@ -227,22 +227,22 @@ void BX_whobase(char *args, void (*line) (WhoEntry *, char *, char **), void (*e
 				else
 					say("Need {...} argument for -END argument.");
 			}
-			else if (!strncmp(arg, "raw", 3))	/* RAW */
+			else if (strbegins(arg, "raw"))	/* RAW */
 			{
 				m_s3cat(&new_w->who_args, " ", args);
 				done = 1;
 			}
-			else if (!strncmp(arg, "o", 1))		/* OPS */
+			else if (strbegins(arg, "o"))		/* OPS */
 				new_w->who_mask |= WHO_OPS;
-			else if (!strncmp(arg, "lu", 2))	/* LUSERS */
+			else if (strbegins(arg, "lu"))	/* LUSERS */
 				new_w->who_mask |= WHO_LUSERS;
-			else if (!strncmp(arg, "ch", 2))	/* CHOPS */
+			else if (strbegins(arg, "ch"))	/* CHOPS */
 				new_w->who_mask |= WHO_CHOPS;
-			else if (!strncmp(arg, "no", 2))	/* NOCHOPS */
+			else if (strbegins(arg, "no"))	/* NOCHOPS */
 				new_w->who_mask |= WHO_NOCHOPS;
-			else if (!strncmp(arg, "u-i", 3))	/* INVISIBLE */
+			else if (strbegins(arg, "u-i"))	/* INVISIBLE */
 				new_w->who_mask |= WHO_INVISIBLE;
-			else if (!strncmp(arg, "ho", 2))	/* HOSTS */
+			else if (strbegins(arg, "ho"))	/* HOSTS */
 			{
 				if ((arg = next_arg(args, &args)) == NULL)
 				{
@@ -254,11 +254,11 @@ void BX_whobase(char *args, void (*line) (WhoEntry *, char *, char **), void (*e
 				malloc_strcpy(&new_w->who_host, arg);
 				channel = new_w->who_host;
 			}
-		 	else if (!strncmp(arg, "he", 2))	/* here */
+		 	else if (strbegins(arg, "he"))	/* here */
 				new_w->who_mask |= WHO_HERE;
-			else if (!strncmp(arg, "a", 1))		/* away */
+			else if (strbegins(arg, "a"))		/* away */
 				new_w->who_mask |= WHO_AWAY;
-			else if (!strncmp(arg, "s", 1)) 	/* servers */
+			else if (strbegins(arg, "s")) 	/* servers */
 			{
 				if ((arg = next_arg(args, &args)) == NULL)
 				{
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ void BX_whobase(char *args, void (*line) (WhoEntry *, char *, char **), void (*e
 				malloc_strcpy(&new_w->who_server, arg);
 				channel = new_w->who_server;
 			}
-			else if (!strncmp(arg, "na", 2))
+			else if (strbegins(arg, "na"))
 			{
 				if ((arg = next_arg(args, &args)) == NULL)
 				{
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ void BX_whobase(char *args, void (*line) (WhoEntry *, char *, char **), void (*e
 				malloc_strcpy(&new_w->who_name, arg);
 				channel = new_w->who_name;
 			}
-			else if (!strncmp(arg, "re", 2))
+			else if (strbegins(arg, "re"))
 			{
 				if ((arg = next_arg(args, &args)) == NULL)
 				{
@@ -294,7 +294,7 @@ void BX_whobase(char *args, void (*line) (WhoEntry *, char *, char **), void (*e
 				malloc_strcpy(&new_w->who_real, arg);
 				channel = new_w->who_real;
 			}
-			else if (!strncmp(arg, "ni", 2))
+			else if (strbegins(arg, "ni"))
 			{
 				if ((arg = next_arg(args, &args)) == NULL)
 				{
@@ -306,13 +306,13 @@ void BX_whobase(char *args, void (*line) (WhoEntry *, char *, char **), void (*e
 				malloc_strcpy(&new_w->who_nick, arg);
 				channel = new_w->who_nick;
 			}
-			else if (!strncmp(arg, "d", 1))
+			else if (strbegins(arg, "d"))
 			{
 				who_queue_list();
 				delete_who_item(new_w);
 				return;
 			}
-			else if (!strncmp(arg, "f", 1))
+			else if (strbegins(arg, "f"))
 			{
 				who_queue_flush();
 				delete_who_item(new_w);