--- a/scripts/miscellaneous/version.m	Sat Apr 09 06:36:53 2016 +0200
+++ b/scripts/miscellaneous/version.m	Fri Apr 08 21:41:18 2016 +0200
@@ -17,29 +17,100 @@
 ## <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 ## -*- texinfo -*-
-## @deftypefn {} {} version ()
-## Return the version number of Octave as a string.
+## @deftypefn  {} {@var{v} =} version ()
+## @deftypefnx {} {[@var{v}, @var{d}] =} version ()
+## @deftypefnx {} {@var{v} =} version (@var{feature})
+## Get version information for Octave
+##
+## If called without input argument, the first return value @var{v} gives the
+## version number of Octave as a string. The second return value @var{d} holds
+## the release date as a string.
+##
+## The following options can be passed for @var{feature}:
+## @table @asis
+## @item @qcode{"-date"}
+## for the release date of the running build,
 ##
-## This is an alias for the function @w{@env{OCTAVE_VERSION}} provided for
-## compatibility.
+## @item @qcode{"-description"}
+## for a description of the release (empty string),
+##
+## @item @qcode{"-release"}
+## for the name of the running build,
+##
+## @item @qcode{"-java"}
+## for version information of the Java VM,
+##
+## @item @qcode{"-blas"}
+## for version information for the linked BLAS (not implemented),
+##
+## @item @qcode{"-lapack"}
+## for version information for the linked LAPACK (not implemented).
+## @end table
+##
+## The variant with no input and output argument is an alias for the function
+## @w{@env{OCTAVE_VERSION}} provided for compatibility.
 ## @seealso{OCTAVE_VERSION, ver}
 ## @end deftypefn
 
 ## Author: jwe
 
-function vs = version ()
+function [vs, d] = version (feature)
 
-  if (nargin != 0)
-    warning ("version: ignoring extra arguments");
+  if (nargin > 1 || ((nargin != 0) && ((nargout > 1) || ! ischar (feature))))
+    print_usage ();
   endif
 
-  vs = OCTAVE_VERSION;
+  if (nargin == 0)
+    vs = OCTAVE_VERSION;
+
+    if (nargout > 1)
+      d = __octave_config_info__.releasedate;
+    end
+  else
+    switch (feature)
+      case "-date"
+        vs = __octave_config_info__.releasedate;
+      case "-description"
+        vs = "";
+      case "-release"
+        vs = "";
+      case "-java"
+        try
+          jversion = javaMethod ("getProperty", "java.lang.System", ...
+                                 "java.runtime.version");
+          jvendor = javaMethod ("getProperty", "java.lang.System", ...
+                                "java.vendor");
+          jname = javaMethod ("getProperty", "java.lang.System", ...
+                                "java.vm.name");
+          jjitmode = javaMethod ("getProperty", "java.lang.System", ...
+                                "java.vm.info");
+          vs = ["Java " jversion " with " jvendor " " jname " " jjitmode];
+        catch
+          vs = "no java available";
+        end_try_catch
+      case "-blas"
+        vs = "";
+        warning(["version: option '" feature "' not implemented"])
+      case "-lapack"
+        vs = "";
+        warning(["version: option '" feature "' not implemented"])
+      otherwise
+        error ("version: Invalid input argument");
+    endswitch
+  endif
+
 
 endfunction
 
 
 %!assert (ischar (version ()))
-%!assert (version (), OCTAVE_VERSION)
 
-%!warning version (1);
+%!test
+%! [v, d] = version ();
+%! assert (v, OCTAVE_VERSION)
+%! assert (d, __octave_config_info__.releasedate)
 
+%!assert (version ("-date"), __octave_config_info__.releasedate)
+
+%!error version (1);
+