new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/version-etc.c
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+/* Utility to help print --version output in a consistent format.
+   Copyright (C) 1999 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+
+   This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+   it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+   the Free Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your option)
+   any later version.
+
+   This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+   but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+   MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+   GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+   You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+   along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,
+   Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.  */
+
+#if HAVE_CONFIG_H
+# include <config.h>
+#endif
+
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include "version-etc.h"
+
+#if ENABLE_NLS
+# include <libintl.h>
+# define _(Text) gettext (Text)
+#else
+# define _(Text) Text
+#endif
+
+void
+version_etc (FILE *stream,
+	     const char *command_name, const char *package,
+	     const char *version, const char *authors)
+{
+  fprintf (stream, "%s (%s) %s\n", command_name, package, version);
+  fputs (_("\
+\n\
+Copyright (C) 1999 Free Software Foundation, Inc.\n\
+This is free software; see the source for copying conditions.  There is NO\n\
+warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.\n\
+\n\
+"
+	   ), stream);
+  fprintf (stream, _("Written by %s.\n"), authors);
+}

new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/version-etc.h
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#ifndef VERSION_ETC_H
+# define VERSION_ETC_H 1
+
+# ifndef PARAMS
+#  if defined PROTOTYPES || (defined __STDC__ && __STDC__)
+#   define PARAMS(Args) Args
+#  else
+#   define PARAMS(Args) ()
+#  endif
+# endif
+
+void
+version_etc PARAMS ((FILE *stream,
+		    const char *command_name, const char *package,
+		    const char *version, const char *authors));
+
+#endif /* VERSION_ETC_H */