problem compiling from git head

[Jack <ostroffjh users sourceforge net>]

I'm not having much luck trying to compile from git head in a Kubuntu 
16.10 VBox client.

First minor point is that at compile time, in libbalsa/imap, I get "   
make: *** No rule to make target 
'../../../balsa-git/libnetclient/libnetclient.a', needed by 'imap_tst'.  
Stop."

It took me a while to figure this out - why would it need libnetclient.a 
under balsa-git, which is my SOURCE directory?  I'm building under a 
directory named build, parallel to balsa-git.  I think the issue is that 
in Albrecht's commit of 11 April to libbalsa/imap/Makefile.am, two lines 
were added, using $(top_srcdir) when I think they should have been 
$(top_builddir).  There may actually be other lines in that and other 
files where this change should also be made, but that's the only one I 
found so far. However, other than the compile error, I don't think this 
should matter to me now, as I'm not using imap.

I do suspect some network issue, as I see "Network is unavailable" when 
starting from command line, although I can ping external sites without 
problem.  also, I AM able to send out a message via SMTP, so at least 
part of the network does work.  When receiving (and I've tried all of 
the POP3 security settings) I don't see any messages on console except 
"Message: 157772800, 0, POP3" followed by one line for each folder, and 
a Finished.

Am I missing something obvious?

Jack