Second, recompile all the processes that do the offending thing (I
believe this is the one true fix), and consider recompiling all your
a.out processes anyway so you can further migrate towards ELF
(although I suppose this isn't strictly necessary).
Third, consider getting updated packages of the packages that do do this.
Fourth, get 1.3.98 since it has an important fix to fs/locks.c (which
existed from 1.3.84 to 1.3.97). It also contains a gratuitus limit on
the number of flock error messages (what priority were they? They
never bothered me ... I agressively manage my /etc/syslog.conf
... although I'm used to weirdness since all alert & above messages
get sent to my alpha pager :) ).
I believe I mentioned most of the fixes. The most important
(especially since you now have a later libc) is recompiling packages
(second above), but I stress getting 1.3.98 (fourth above) too. This
is from experience, not from actual knowledge, so further information
is quite definately probable.