portability of 'printf' command

[Bruno Haible]

Is the 'printf' command portable enough to be used in configure files
and autoconf macros?

The GNU Coding Standards [1] don't mention it as a portable utility. Indeed,
when you use bash version 1 (which does not have 'printf' built-in) on a
platform that does not have a /usr/bin/printf program, you would be hosed.
But which platforms are this? The Autoconf manual [2] does not mention a lack
of 'printf' anywhere.

Is someone aware of a platform that does not have a /usr/bin/printf or
/bin/printf program?

Bruno

[1] http://www.gnu.org/prep/standards/standards.html
[2] 
http://www.gnu.org/software/autoconf/manual/html_node/Limitations-of-Builtins.html