diff --git a/version-check.sh b/version-check.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..cf018ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/version-check.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# Simple script to list version numbers of critical development tools
+export LC_ALL=C
+bash --version | head -n1 | cut -d" " -f2-4
+MYSH=$(readlink -f /bin/sh)
+echo "/bin/sh -> $MYSH"
+echo $MYSH | grep -q bash || echo "ERROR: /bin/sh does not point to bash"
+unset MYSH
+
+echo -n "Binutils: "; ld --version | head -n1 | cut -d" " -f3-
+bison --version | head -n1
+
+if [ -h /usr/bin/yacc ]; then
+  echo "/usr/bin/yacc -> `readlink -f /usr/bin/yacc`";
+elif [ -x /usr/bin/yacc ]; then
+  echo yacc is `/usr/bin/yacc --version | head -n1`
+else
+  echo "yacc not found" 
+fi
+
+bzip2 --version 2>&1 < /dev/null | head -n1 | cut -d" " -f1,6-
+echo -n "Coreutils: "; chown --version | head -n1 | cut -d")" -f2
+diff --version | head -n1
+find --version | head -n1
+gawk --version | head -n1
+
+if [ -h /usr/bin/awk ]; then
+  echo "/usr/bin/awk -> `readlink -f /usr/bin/awk`";
+elif [ -x /usr/bin/awk ]; then
+  echo awk is `/usr/bin/awk --version | head -n1`
+else 
+  echo "awk not found" 
+fi
+
+gcc --version | head -n1
+g++ --version | head -n1
+ldd --version | head -n1 | cut -d" " -f2-  # glibc version
+grep --version | head -n1
+gzip --version | head -n1
+cat /proc/version
+m4 --version | head -n1
+make --version | head -n1
+patch --version | head -n1
+echo Perl `perl -V:version`
+sed --version | head -n1
+tar --version | head -n1
+makeinfo --version | head -n1
+xz --version | head -n1
+
+echo 'int main(){}' > dummy.c && g++ -o dummy dummy.c
+if [ -x dummy ]
+  then echo "g++ compilation OK";
+  else echo "g++ compilation failed"; fi
+rm -f dummy.c dummy