diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/RuntimeConfigurable.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/RuntimeConfigurable.java
index 9e63ddc97..dadc95373 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/RuntimeConfigurable.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/RuntimeConfigurable.java
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ public class RuntimeConfigurable implements Serializable {
         id = (String) attributeMap.get("id");
 
         if (characters.length() != 0) {
-            ProjectHelper.addText(p, wrappedObject, characters.toString());
+            ProjectHelper.addText(p, wrappedObject, characters.substring(0));
         }
 
         Enumeration enum = children.elements();
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/listener/MailLogger.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/listener/MailLogger.java
index 9ffb1603b..23b4f8a5c 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/listener/MailLogger.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/listener/MailLogger.java
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /*
  * The Apache Software License, Version 1.1
  *
- * Copyright (c) 2002-2002 The Apache Software Foundation.  All rights
+ * Copyright (c) 2002-2003 The Apache Software Foundation.  All rights
  * reserved.
  *
  * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ public class MailLogger extends DefaultLogger {
             String subject = getValue(properties, prefix + ".subject",
                     (success) ? "Build Success" : "Build Failure");
 
-            sendMail(mailhost, port, from, toList, subject, buffer.toString());
+            sendMail(mailhost, port, from, toList, subject, buffer.substring(0));
         } catch (Exception e) {
             System.out.println("MailLogger failed to send e-mail!");
             e.printStackTrace(System.err);
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/AntStructure.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/AntStructure.java
index 1fa1740c7..ce38f9ce4 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/AntStructure.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/AntStructure.java
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /*
  * The Apache Software License, Version 1.1
  *
- * Copyright (c) 2000-2002 The Apache Software Foundation.  All rights
+ * Copyright (c) 2000-2003 The Apache Software Foundation.  All rights
  * reserved.
  *
  * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
@@ -294,8 +294,8 @@ public class AntStructure extends Task {
         sb.append(">");
         out.println(sb);
 
-        sb.setLength(0);
-        sb.append("<!ATTLIST ").append(name);
+        sb = new StringBuffer("<!ATTLIST ");
+        sb.append(name);
         sb.append(lSep).append("          id ID #IMPLIED");
 
         enum = ih.getAttributes();
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Concat.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Concat.java
index c77580563..8854dadb2 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Concat.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Concat.java
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@ public class Concat extends Task {
 
             if (textBuffer != null) {
                 reader = new StringReader(
-                    getProject().replaceProperties(textBuffer.toString()));
+                    getProject().replaceProperties(textBuffer.substring(0)));
             } else {
                 reader =  new MultiReader();
             }
@@ -476,7 +476,7 @@ public class Concat extends Task {
      */
     private void sanitizeText() {
         if (textBuffer != null) {
-            if (textBuffer.toString().trim().length() == 0) {
+            if (textBuffer.substring(0).trim().length() == 0) {
                 textBuffer = null;
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/FixCRLF.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/FixCRLF.java
index 610f9ed95..caef35461 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/FixCRLF.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/FixCRLF.java
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /*
  * The Apache Software License, Version 1.1
  *
- * Copyright (c) 2000-2002 The Apache Software Foundation.  All rights
+ * Copyright (c) 2000-2003 The Apache Software Foundation.  All rights
  * reserved.
  *
  * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
@@ -720,7 +720,7 @@ public class FixCRLF extends MatchingTask {
 
         // process sequences of white space
         // first convert all tabs to spaces
-        linebuf.setLength(0);
+        linebuf = new StringBuffer();
         while ((nextTab = line.indexOf((int) '\t', place)) >= 0) {
             linebuf.append(line.substring(place, nextTab)); // copy to the TAB
             col += nextTab - place;
@@ -731,7 +731,7 @@ public class FixCRLF extends MatchingTask {
         } // end of while
         linebuf.append(line.substring(place, line.length()));
         // if converting to spaces, all finished
-        String linestring = new String(linebuf.toString());
+        String linestring = new String(linebuf.substring(0));
         if (tabs == REMOVE) {
             try {
                 outWriter.write(linestring);
@@ -740,7 +740,7 @@ public class FixCRLF extends MatchingTask {
             } // end of try-catch
         } else { // tabs == ADD
             int tabCol;
-            linebuf2.setLength(0);
+            linebuf2 = new StringBuffer();
             place = 0;
             col = bufline.getColumn();
             int placediff = col - 0;
@@ -782,7 +782,7 @@ public class FixCRLF extends MatchingTask {
             linebuf2.append(linestring.substring(place, linestring.length()));
 
             try {
-                outWriter.write(linebuf2.toString());
+                outWriter.write(linebuf2.substring(0));
             } catch (IOException e) {
                 throw new BuildException(e);
             } // end of try-catch
@@ -826,8 +826,8 @@ public class FixCRLF extends MatchingTask {
             int ch = -1;
             int eolcount = 0;
 
-            eolStr.setLength(0);
-            line.setLength(0);
+            eolStr = new StringBuffer();
+            line = new StringBuffer();
 
             try {
                 ch = reader.read();
@@ -907,7 +907,7 @@ public class FixCRLF extends MatchingTask {
         }
 
         public String getEofStr() {
-            return eofStr.toString();
+            return eofStr.substring(0);
         }
 
         public int getState() {
@@ -928,7 +928,7 @@ public class FixCRLF extends MatchingTask {
                 throw new NoSuchElementException("OneLiner");
             }
             BufferLine tmpLine =
-                    new BufferLine(line.toString(), eolStr.toString());
+                    new BufferLine(line.toString(), eolStr.substring(0));
             nextLine();
             return tmpLine;
         }
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Javadoc.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Javadoc.java
index 8b79da7ea..afd037752 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Javadoc.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Javadoc.java
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@ public class Javadoc extends Task {
          * @return the current text.
          */
         public String getText() {
-            return text.toString();
+            return text.substring(0);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Replace.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Replace.java
index c8284dffd..06e55ac64 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Replace.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/Replace.java
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /*
  * The Apache Software License, Version 1.1
  *
- * Copyright (c) 2000-2002 The Apache Software Foundation.  All rights
+ * Copyright (c) 2000-2003 The Apache Software Foundation.  All rights
  * reserved.
  *
  * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ public class Replace extends MatchingTask {
         }
 
         public String getText() {
-            return buf.toString();
+            return buf.substring(0);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/SQLExec.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/SQLExec.java
index d86753bf3..0bbc284b2 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/SQLExec.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/SQLExec.java
@@ -555,7 +555,7 @@ public class SQLExec extends JDBCTask {
                     }
                     line.append(md.getColumnName(columnCount));
                     out.println(line);
-                    line.setLength(0);
+                    line = new StringBuffer();
                 }
                 while (rs.next()) {
                     boolean first = true;
@@ -573,7 +573,7 @@ public class SQLExec extends JDBCTask {
                         line.append(columnValue);
                     }
                     out.println(line);
-                    line.setLength(0);
+                    line = new StringBuffer();
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/email/Message.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/email/Message.java
index 14313736e..7be15e1ba 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/email/Message.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/email/Message.java
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /*
  * The Apache Software License, Version 1.1
  *
- * Copyright (c) 2002 The Apache Software Foundation.  All rights
+ * Copyright (c) 2002-2003 The Apache Software Foundation.  All rights
  * reserved.
  *
  * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ public class Message extends ProjectComponent {
                 freader.close();
             }
         } else {
-            out.println(getProject().replaceProperties(buffer.toString()));
+            out.println(getProject().replaceProperties(buffer.substring(0)));
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/ReplaceRegExp.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/ReplaceRegExp.java
index e7d9f20a4..0bf3c4842 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/ReplaceRegExp.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/ReplaceRegExp.java
@@ -365,7 +365,7 @@ public class ReplaceRegExp extends Task {
                             pw.print(res);
                             pw.print('\r');
 
-                            linebuf.setLength(0);
+                            linebuf = new StringBuffer();
                             // hasCR is still true (for the second one)
                         } else {
                             // first CR in this line
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ public class ReplaceRegExp extends Task {
                         }
                         pw.print('\n');
 
-                        linebuf.setLength(0);
+                        linebuf = new StringBuffer();
                     } else { // any other char
                         if ((hasCR) || (c < 0)) {
                             // Mac-style linebreak or EOF (or both)
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ public class ReplaceRegExp extends Task {
                                 hasCR = false;
                             }
 
-                            linebuf.setLength(0);
+                            linebuf = new StringBuffer();
                         }
 
                         if (c >= 0) {
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/junit/JUnitTask.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/junit/JUnitTask.java
index 67446046d..91859e86a 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/junit/JUnitTask.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/junit/JUnitTask.java
@@ -640,7 +640,7 @@ public class JUnitTask extends Task {
                 formatterArg.append(outFile);
             }
             cmd.createArgument().setValue(formatterArg.toString());
-            formatterArg.setLength(0);
+            formatterArg = new StringBuffer();
         }
 
         // Create a temporary file to pass the Ant properties to the
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/perforce/P4Add.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/perforce/P4Add.java
index 887e8b21c..1a5d46f3b 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/perforce/P4Add.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/perforce/P4Add.java
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ public class P4Add extends P4Base {
                     filelist.append(" ").append('"').append(f.getAbsolutePath()).append('"');
                     if (filelist.length() > cmdLength) {
                         execP4Add(filelist);
-                        filelist.setLength(0);
+                        filelist = new StringBuffer();
                     }
                 }
                 if (filelist.length() > 0) {
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/perforce/P4Fstat.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/perforce/P4Fstat.java
index 9ac27284b..c3b6971b1 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/perforce/P4Fstat.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/perforce/P4Fstat.java
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ public class P4Fstat extends P4Base {
                     if (filelist.length() > cmdLength) {
 
                         execP4Fstat(filelist);
-                        filelist.setLength(0);
+                        filelist = new StringBuffer();
                     }
                 }
                 if (filelist.length() > 0) {
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/sitraka/bytecode/Utils.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/sitraka/bytecode/Utils.java
index 9550cf6bb..782cdb82a 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/sitraka/bytecode/Utils.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/sitraka/bytecode/Utils.java
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /*
  * The Apache Software License, Version 1.1
  *
- * Copyright (c) 2001-2002 The Apache Software Foundation.  All rights
+ * Copyright (c) 2001-2003 The Apache Software Foundation.  All rights
  * reserved.
  *
  * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
@@ -122,8 +122,8 @@ public class Utils {
         StringBuffer param = new StringBuffer();
         i++;
         while ((i = descriptor2java(descriptor, i, param)) < descriptor.length()) {
-            params.add(param.toString());
-            param.setLength(0); // reset
+            params.add(param.substring(0));
+            param = new StringBuffer();
             if (descriptor.charAt(i) == ')') {
                 i++;
                 break;
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/Commandline.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/Commandline.java
index 32c1a80e7..13eb19db6 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/Commandline.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/Commandline.java
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /*
  * The Apache Software License, Version 1.1
  *
- * Copyright (c) 2000-2002 The Apache Software Foundation.  All rights
+ * Copyright (c) 2000-2003 The Apache Software Foundation.  All rights
  * reserved.
  *
  * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ public class Commandline implements Cloneable {
                 } else if (" ".equals(nextTok)) {
                     if (lastTokenHasBeenQuoted || current.length() != 0) {
                         v.addElement(current.toString());
-                        current.setLength(0);
+                        current = new StringBuffer();
                     }
                 } else {
                     current.append(nextTok);
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/Path.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/Path.java
index ab99c95cc..68953aa46 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/Path.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/Path.java
@@ -397,7 +397,6 @@ public class Path extends DataType implements Cloneable {
         PathTokenizer tok = new PathTokenizer(source);
         StringBuffer element = new StringBuffer();
         while (tok.hasMoreTokens()) {
-            element.setLength(0);
             String pathElement = tok.nextToken();
             try {
                 element.append(resolveFile(project, pathElement));
@@ -410,6 +409,7 @@ public class Path extends DataType implements Cloneable {
                 translateFileSep(element, i);
             }
             result.addElement(element.toString());
+            element = new StringBuffer();
         }
         String[] res = new String[result.size()];
         result.copyInto(res);
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/util/DOMElementWriter.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/util/DOMElementWriter.java
index d0da06df7..45d4fd5a4 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/util/DOMElementWriter.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/util/DOMElementWriter.java
@@ -80,7 +80,6 @@ import org.w3c.dom.Text;
 public class DOMElementWriter {
 
     private static String lSep = System.getProperty("line.separator");
-    private StringBuffer sb = new StringBuffer();
 
     /**
      * Don't try to be too smart but at least recognize the predefined
@@ -204,7 +203,7 @@ public class DOMElementWriter {
      * drop characters that are illegal in XML documents.
      */
     public String encode(String value) {
-        sb.setLength(0);
+        StringBuffer sb = new StringBuffer();
         int len = value.length();
         for (int i = 0; i < len; i++) {
             char c = value.charAt(i);
@@ -254,7 +253,7 @@ public class DOMElementWriter {
 
      */
     public String encodedata(final String value) {
-        sb.setLength(0);
+        StringBuffer sb = new StringBuffer();
         for (int i = 0; i < value.length(); ++i) {
             char c = value.charAt(i);
             if (isLegalCharacter(c)) {
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/util/RegexpPatternMapper.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/util/RegexpPatternMapper.java
index f7b3e690e..366cacf84 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/util/RegexpPatternMapper.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/util/RegexpPatternMapper.java
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /*
  * The Apache Software License, Version 1.1
  *
- * Copyright (c) 2000,2002 The Apache Software Foundation.  All rights
+ * Copyright (c) 2000,2002-2003 The Apache Software Foundation.  All rights
  * reserved.
  *
  * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ public class RegexpPatternMapper implements FileNameMapper {
                 result.append(to[i]);
             }
         }
-        return result.toString();
+        return result.substring(0);
     }
 
 }
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/util/ResourceUtils.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/util/ResourceUtils.java
index 4c7b57cb1..cd19c2ac9 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/util/ResourceUtils.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/util/ResourceUtils.java
@@ -89,7 +89,6 @@ public class ResourceUtils {
                                                     FileNameMapper mapper,
                                                     ResourceFactory targets) {
         long now = (new java.util.Date()).getTime();
-        StringBuffer targetList = new StringBuffer();
 
         /*
           If we're on Windows, we have to munge the time up to 2 secs to
@@ -116,7 +115,7 @@ public class ResourceUtils {
                                    .replace('/', File.separatorChar));
             if (targetnames != null) {
                 boolean added = false;
-                targetList.setLength(0);
+                StringBuffer targetList = new StringBuffer();
                 for (int ctarget = 0; !added && ctarget < targetnames.length; 
                      ctarget++) {
                     Resource atarget =