diff --git a/ddclient.in b/ddclient.in
index ef2ddb0..ef0c52d 100755
--- a/ddclient.in
+++ b/ddclient.in
@@ -370,12 +370,12 @@ sub ip_strategies_usage {
 
 my %ipv4_strategies = (
     'disabled'    => ": do not obtain an IPv4 address for this host",
-    'ipv4'        => ": obtain IPv4 from -ipv4 <address>",
+    'ipv4'        => ": obtain IPv4 from -ipv4=<address>",
     'webv4'       => ": obtain IPv4 from an IP discovery page on the web",
-    'ifv4'        => ": obtain IPv4 from the -ifv4 <interface>",
-    'cmdv4'       => ": obtain IPv4 from the -cmdv4 <external-command>",
-    'fwv4'        => ": obtain IPv4 from the firewall specified by -fwv4 <type|address>",
-    map { $_ => sprintf ": obtain IPv4 from %s at the -fwv4 <address>", $builtinfw{$_}->{'name'} } keys %builtinfw,
+    'ifv4'        => ": obtain IPv4 from the -ifv4=<interface>",
+    'cmdv4'       => ": obtain IPv4 from the -cmdv4=<external-command>",
+    'fwv4'        => ": obtain IPv4 from the firewall specified by -fwv4=<type|address>",
+    map { $_ => sprintf ": obtain IPv4 from %s at the -fwv4=<address>", $builtinfw{$_}->{'name'} } keys %builtinfw,
 );
 sub ipv4_strategies_usage {
     return map { sprintf("    -usev4=%-22s %s.", $_, $ipv4_strategies{$_}) } sort keys %ipv4_strategies;
@@ -385,14 +385,14 @@ my %ipv6_strategies = (
     'no'          => ": deprecated, use 'disabled'",
     'disabled'    => ": do not obtain an IPv6 address for this host",
     'ip'          => ": deprecated, use 'ipv6'",
-    'ipv6'        => ": obtain IPv6 from -ipv6 <address>",
+    'ipv6'        => ": obtain IPv6 from -ipv6=<address>",
     'web'         => ": deprecated, use 'webv6'",
     'webv6'       => ": obtain IPv6 from an IP discovery page on the web",
     'if'          => ": deprecated, use 'ifv6'",
-    'ifv6'        => ": obtain IPv6 from the -if <interface>",
+    'ifv6'        => ": obtain IPv6 from the -if=<interface>",
     'cmd'         => ": deprecated, use 'cmdv6'",
-    'cmdv6'       => ": obtain IPv6 from the -cmdv6 <external-command>",
-    'fwv6'        => ": obtain IPv6 from the firewall specified by -fwv6 <type|address>",
+    'cmdv6'       => ": obtain IPv6 from the -cmdv6=<external-command>",
+    'fwv6'        => ": obtain IPv6 from the firewall specified by -fwv6=<type|address>",
 );
 sub ipv6_strategies_usage {
     return map { sprintf("    -usev6=%-22s %s.", $_, $ipv6_strategies{$_}) } sort keys %ipv6_strategies;
@@ -1009,79 +1009,79 @@ $opt{'list-web-services'} = sub {
 my @opt = (
     "usage: ${program} [options]",
     "options are:",
-    ["daemon",            "=s", "-daemon <delay>       : run as a daemon, specify <delay> as an interval"],
+    ["daemon",            "=s", "-daemon=<delay>       : run as a daemon, specify <delay> as an interval"],
     ["foreground",        "!",  "-foreground           : do not fork"],
-    ["proxy",             "=s", "-proxy <host>         : use <host> as the HTTP proxy"],
-    ["server",            "=s", "-server <host>        : update DNS information on <host>"],
-    ["protocol",          "=s", "-protocol <type>      : update protocol used"],
+    ["proxy",             "=s", "-proxy=<host>         : use <host> as the HTTP proxy"],
+    ["server",            "=s", "-server=<host>        : update DNS information on <host>"],
+    ["protocol",          "=s", "-protocol=<type>      : update protocol used"],
     ["list-protocols",    "",   "-list-protocols       : print a machine-readable list of supported update protocols and exit. Format: one per line"],
-    ["file",              "=s", "-file <path>          : load configuration information from <path>"],
-    ["cache",             "=s", "-cache <path>         : record address used in <path>"],
-    ["pid",               "=s", "-pid <path>           : record process id in <path> if daemonized"],
+    ["file",              "=s", "-file=<path>          : load configuration information from <path>"],
+    ["cache",             "=s", "-cache=<path>         : record address used in <path>"],
+    ["pid",               "=s", "-pid=<path>           : record process id in <path> if daemonized"],
     "",
-    ["use",               "=s", "-use <which>          : deprecated, see 'usev4' and 'usev6'"],
+    ["use",               "=s", "-use=<which>          : deprecated, see 'usev4' and 'usev6'"],
     &ip_strategies_usage(),
-    ["usev4",             "=s", "-usev4 <which>        : how the should IPv4 address be obtained."],
+    ["usev4",             "=s", "-usev4=<which>        : how the should IPv4 address be obtained."],
     &ipv4_strategies_usage(),
-    ["usev6",             "=s", "-usev6 <which>        : how the should IPv6 address be obtained."],
+    ["usev6",             "=s", "-usev6=<which>        : how the should IPv6 address be obtained."],
     &ipv6_strategies_usage(),
     "",
     "  Options that apply to 'use=ip':",
-    ["ip",                "=s", "-ip <address>         : deprecated, use 'ipv4' or 'ipv6'"],
-    ["ipv4",              "=s", "-ipv4 <address>       : set the IPv4 address to <address>"],
-    ["ipv6",              "=s", "-ipv6 <address>       : set the IPv6 address to <address>"],
+    ["ip",                "=s", "-ip=<address>         : deprecated, use 'ipv4' or 'ipv6'"],
+    ["ipv4",              "=s", "-ipv4=<address>       : set the IPv4 address to <address>"],
+    ["ipv6",              "=s", "-ipv6=<address>       : set the IPv6 address to <address>"],
     "",
     "  Options that apply to 'use=if':",
-    ["if",                "=s", "-if <interface>       : deprecated, use 'ifv4' or 'ifv6'"],
-    ["ifv4",              "=s", "-ifv4 <interface>     : obtain IPv4 address from <interface>"],
-    ["ifv6",              "=s", "-ifv6 <interface>     : obtain IPv6 address from <interface>"],
+    ["if",                "=s", "-if=<interface>       : deprecated, use 'ifv4' or 'ifv6'"],
+    ["ifv4",              "=s", "-ifv4=<interface>     : obtain IPv4 address from <interface>"],
+    ["ifv6",              "=s", "-ifv6=<interface>     : obtain IPv6 address from <interface>"],
     "",
     "  Options that apply to 'use=web':",
-    ["web",               "=s", "-web <service|url>    : deprecated, use 'webv4' or 'webv6'"],
-    ["web-skip",          "=s", "-web-skip <pattern>   : deprecated, use 'webv4-skip' or 'webv6-skip'"],
-    ["webv4",             "=s", "-webv4 <service|url>  : obtain IPv4 address from a web-based IP discovery service, either a known <service> or a custom <url>"],
-    ["webv4-skip",        "=s", "-webv4-skip <pattern> : skip any IP addresses before <pattern> in the output of 'ip address show dev <interface>' (or 'ifconfig <interface>')"],
-    ["webv6",             "=s", "-webv6 <service|url>  : obtain IPv6 address from a web-based IP discovery service, either a known <service> or a custom <url>"],
-    ["webv6-skip",        "=s", "-webv6-skip <pattern> : skip any IP addresses before <pattern> in the output of 'ip address show dev <interface>' (or 'ifconfig <interface>')"],
+    ["web",               "=s", "-web=<service|url>    : deprecated, use 'webv4' or 'webv6'"],
+    ["web-skip",          "=s", "-web-skip=<pattern>   : deprecated, use 'webv4-skip' or 'webv6-skip'"],
+    ["webv4",             "=s", "-webv4=<service|url>  : obtain IPv4 address from a web-based IP discovery service, either a known <service> or a custom <url>"],
+    ["webv4-skip",        "=s", "-webv4-skip=<pattern> : skip any IP addresses before <pattern> in the output of 'ip address show dev <interface>' (or 'ifconfig <interface>')"],
+    ["webv6",             "=s", "-webv6=<service|url>  : obtain IPv6 address from a web-based IP discovery service, either a known <service> or a custom <url>"],
+    ["webv6-skip",        "=s", "-webv6-skip=<pattern> : skip any IP addresses before <pattern> in the output of 'ip address show dev <interface>' (or 'ifconfig <interface>')"],
     ["list-web-services", "",   "-list-web-services    : print a machine-readable list of web-based IP discovery services for use with 'web=<service>' and exit. Format: one service per line, each line has the form '<service> <url>'"],
     "",
     "  Options that apply to 'use=fw' and 'use=<device>':",
-    ["fw",                "=s", "-fw <address|url>     : deprecated, use 'fwv4' or 'fwv6'"],
-    ["fw-skip",           "=s", "-fw-skip <pattern>    : deprecated, use 'fwv4-skip' or 'fwv6-skip'"],
-    ["fwv4",              "=s", "-fwv4 <address|url>   : obtain IPv4 address from device with IP address <address> or URL <url>"],
-    ["fwv4-skip",         "=s", "-fwv4-skip <pattern>  : skip any IP addresses before <pattern> in the text returned from the device"],
-    ["fwv6",              "=s", "-fwv6 <address|url>   : obtain IPv6 address from device with IP address <address> or URL <url>"],
-    ["fwv6-skip",         "=s", "-fwv6-skip <pattern>  : skip any IP addresses before <pattern> in the text returned from the device"],
-    ["fw-login",          "=s", "-fw-login <login>     : use <login> when getting the IP from the device"],
-    ["fw-password",       "=s", "-fw-password <secret> : use password <secret> when getting the IP from the device"],
+    ["fw",                "=s", "-fw=<address|url>     : deprecated, use 'fwv4' or 'fwv6'"],
+    ["fw-skip",           "=s", "-fw-skip=<pattern>    : deprecated, use 'fwv4-skip' or 'fwv6-skip'"],
+    ["fwv4",              "=s", "-fwv4=<address|url>   : obtain IPv4 address from device with IP address <address> or URL <url>"],
+    ["fwv4-skip",         "=s", "-fwv4-skip=<pattern>  : skip any IP addresses before <pattern> in the text returned from the device"],
+    ["fwv6",              "=s", "-fwv6=<address|url>   : obtain IPv6 address from device with IP address <address> or URL <url>"],
+    ["fwv6-skip",         "=s", "-fwv6-skip=<pattern>  : skip any IP addresses before <pattern> in the text returned from the device"],
+    ["fw-login",          "=s", "-fw-login=<login>     : use <login> when getting the IP from the device"],
+    ["fw-password",       "=s", "-fw-password=<secret> : use password <secret> when getting the IP from the device"],
     ["list-devices",      "",   "-list-devices         : print a machine-readable list of supported firewall/router devices and exit. Format: one device per line, each line has the form '<device> <description>'"],
     "",
     "  Options that apply to 'use=cmd':",
-    ["cmd",               "=s", "-cmd <command>        : deprecated, use 'cmdv4' or 'cmdv6'"],
-    ["cmd-skip",          "=s", "-cmd-skip <pattern>   : deprecated, filter in program wrapper script"],
-    ["cmdv4",             "=s", "-cmdv4 <command>      : obtain IPv4 address from the output of <command>"],
-    ["cmdv6",             "=s", "-cmdv6 <command>      : obtain IPv6 address from the output of <command>"],
+    ["cmd",               "=s", "-cmd=<command>        : deprecated, use 'cmdv4' or 'cmdv6'"],
+    ["cmd-skip",          "=s", "-cmd-skip=<pattern>   : deprecated, filter in program wrapper script"],
+    ["cmdv4",             "=s", "-cmdv4=<command>      : obtain IPv4 address from the output of <command>"],
+    ["cmdv6",             "=s", "-cmdv6=<command>      : obtain IPv6 address from the output of <command>"],
     "",
-    ["login",             "=s", "-login <user>         : log in to the dynamic DNS service as <user>"],
-    ["password",          "=s", "-password <secret>    : log in to the dynamic DNS service with password <secret>"],
-    ["host",              "=s", "-host <host>          : update DNS information for <host>"],
+    ["login",             "=s", "-login=<user>         : log in to the dynamic DNS service as <user>"],
+    ["password",          "=s", "-password=<secret>    : log in to the dynamic DNS service with password <secret>"],
+    ["host",              "=s", "-host=<host>          : update DNS information for <host>"],
     "",
-    ["options",           "=s", "-options <opt>=<val>[,<opt>=<val>,...]\n                        : optional per-service arguments (see below)"],
+    ["options",           "=s", "-options=<opt>=<val>[,<opt>=<val>,...]\n                        : optional per-service arguments (see below)"],
     "",
     ["ssl",               "!",  "-{no}ssl              : do updates over encrypted SSL connection"],
-    ["ssl_ca_dir",        "=s", "-ssl_ca_dir <dir>     : look in <dir> for certificates of trusted certificate authorities (default: auto-detect)"],
-    ["ssl_ca_file",       "=s", "-ssl_ca_file <file>   : look at <file> for certificates of trusted certificate authorities (default: auto-detect)"],
+    ["ssl_ca_dir",        "=s", "-ssl_ca_dir=<dir>     : look in <dir> for certificates of trusted certificate authorities (default: auto-detect)"],
+    ["ssl_ca_file",       "=s", "-ssl_ca_file=<file>   : look at <file> for certificates of trusted certificate authorities (default: auto-detect)"],
     ["fw-ssl-validate",   "!",  "-{no}fw-ssl-validate  : Validate SSL certificate when retrieving IP address from firewall"],
     ["web-ssl-validate",  "!",  "-{no}web-ssl-validate : Validate SSL certificate when retrieving IP address from web"],
     ["retry",             "!",  "-{no}retry            : retry failed updates"],
     ["force",             "!",  "-{no}force            : force an update even if the update may be unnecessary"],
-    ["timeout",           "=i", "-timeout <max>        : when fetching a URL, wait at most <max> seconds for a response"],
+    ["timeout",           "=i", "-timeout=<max>        : when fetching a URL, wait at most <max> seconds for a response"],
     ["syslog",            "!",  "-{no}syslog           : log messages to syslog"],
-    ["facility",          "=s", "-facility <type>      : log messages to syslog to facility <type>"],
-    ["priority",          "=s", "-priority <pri>       : log messages to syslog with priority <pri>"],
-    ["max-warn",          "=i", "-max-warn <max>       : log at most <max> warning messages for undefined IP address"],
-    ["mail",              "=s", "-mail <address>       : e-mail messages to <address>"],
-    ["mail-failure",      "=s", "-mail-failure <addr>  : e-mail messages for failed updates to <addr>"],
+    ["facility",          "=s", "-facility=<type>      : log messages to syslog to facility <type>"],
+    ["priority",          "=s", "-priority=<pri>       : log messages to syslog with priority <pri>"],
+    ["max-warn",          "=i", "-max-warn=<max>       : log at most <max> warning messages for undefined IP address"],
+    ["mail",              "=s", "-mail=<address>       : e-mail messages to <address>"],
+    ["mail-failure",      "=s", "-mail-failure=<addr>  : e-mail messages for failed updates to <addr>"],
     ["exec",              "!",  "-{no}exec             : do {not} execute; just show what would be done"],
     ["debug",             "!",  "-{no}debug            : print {no} debugging information"],
     ["verbose",           "!",  "-{no}verbose          : print {no} verbose information"],
@@ -1094,7 +1094,7 @@ my @opt = (
     ["if-skip",           "=s", ""], ## deprecated
     ["test",              "!",  ""], ## hidden
     ["geturl",            "=s", ""], ## hidden
-    ["redirect",          "=i", "-redirect <max>       : enable and follow at most <max> HTTP 30x redirections"],
+    ["redirect",          "=i", "-redirect=<max>       : enable and follow at most <max> HTTP 30x redirections"],
     "",
     nic_examples(),
     # Note: These lines are copied below to the -version argument implementation
@@ -1170,10 +1170,10 @@ sub main {
         read_cache(opt('cache'), \%cache);
         print_info() if opt('debug') && opt('verbose');
 
-        fatal("invalid argument '-use %s'; possible values are:\n%s", $opt{'use'}, join("\n", ip_strategies_usage()))
+        fatal("invalid argument '-use=%s'; possible values are:\n%s", $opt{'use'}, join("\n", ip_strategies_usage()))
             unless exists $ip_strategies{lc opt('use')};
         if (defined($opt{'usev6'})) {
-            usage("invalid argument '-usev6 %s'; possible values are:\n%s", $opt{'usev6'}, join("\n",ipv6_strategies_usage()))
+            usage("invalid argument '-usev6=%s'; possible values are:\n%s", $opt{'usev6'}, join("\n",ipv6_strategies_usage()))
                 unless exists $ipv6_strategies{lc opt('usev6')};
         }