diff --git a/build/GNUmakefile.example b/build/GNUmakefile.example
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d366454d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build/GNUmakefile.example
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+# 16 october 2015
+
+ifndef inlibuibuild
+$(error Do not run these makefiles directly.)
+endif
+ifndef EXAMPLE
+$(error You must specify an example to build by adding EXAMPLE=name to the command line.)
+endif
+
+include $(OS)/GNUosspecific.mk
+
+CFILES += \
+	examples/$(EXAMPLE)/main.c
+
+HFILES += \
+	ui.h
+
+NAME = $(EXAMPLE)
+SUFFIX = $(EXESUFFIX)
+
+# TODO merge with the one in build/GNUmakefile.test
+ifeq ($(TOOLCHAIN),gcc)
+	LDFLAGS += -L$(OUTDIR) -lui
+	# tell the dynamic loader to search in the executable path for shared objects
+	LDFLAGS += -Wl,-rpath='$$ORIGIN'
+else
+	# TODO is there an equivalent to -L?
+	LDFLAGS += $(OUTDIR)/libui.lib
+endif
+
+include build/GNUbase$(TOOLCHAIN).mk
diff --git a/examples/controlgallery/GNUmakefile b/examples/controlgallery/GNUmakefile
deleted file mode 100644
index 438a5d12..00000000
--- a/examples/controlgallery/GNUmakefile
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,32 +0,0 @@
-# 2 september 2015
-
-OUT = controlgallery
-
-ifeq ($(OS),windows)
-linkto = ../../out/libui.dll
-CC = i686-w64-mingw32-gcc
-ifeq ($(ARCH),amd64)
-CC = x86_64-w64-mingw32-gcc
-endif
-OUT = controlgallery.exe
-else
-ifeq ($(OS),darwin)
-linkto = ../../out/libui.dylib
-else
-linkto = ../../out/libui.so
-endif
-endif
-
-CFILES = \
-	main.c
-
-OFILES = $(CFILES:%.c=%.o)
-
-controlgallery: $(OFILES)
-	$(CC) -g -o $(OUT) $(OFILES) $(linkto)
-
-%.o: %.c
-	$(CC) -c -g -o $@ $<
-
-clean:
-	rm -f $(OUT) $(OFILES)
diff --git a/examples/histogram/GNUmakefile b/examples/histogram/GNUmakefile
deleted file mode 100644
index 32a09a74..00000000
--- a/examples/histogram/GNUmakefile
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,32 +0,0 @@
-# 2 september 2015
-
-OUT = histogram
-
-ifeq ($(OS),windows)
-linkto = ../../out/libui.dll
-CC = i686-w64-mingw32-gcc
-ifeq ($(ARCH),amd64)
-CC = x86_64-w64-mingw32-gcc
-endif
-OUT = histogram.exe
-else
-ifeq ($(OS),darwin)
-linkto = ../../out/libui.dylib
-else
-linkto = ../../out/libui.so
-endif
-endif
-
-CFILES = \
-	main.c
-
-OFILES = $(CFILES:%.c=%.o)
-
-controlgallery: $(OFILES)
-	$(CC) -g -o $(OUT) $(OFILES) $(linkto)
-
-%.o: %.c
-	$(CC) -c -g -o $@ $<
-
-clean:
-	rm -f $(OUT) $(OFILES)