improve usage statements for utility scripts
updated readme with 1.8.7 instructions
completion script cleanup and subcommand support

While the framework is less general,
it should run faster and be easier to extend
improve readabilty of default help formatter code
version bump
Merge branch 'master' into 1.8.7-support
adding executable bit to scripts

for some reason, the scripts were never marked as executable by git.
Probably something with my local configuration
Merge branch 'master' into 1.8.7-support