diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 212027d..1714fed 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -7,6 +7,15 @@
 PACKAGE	= emile
 VERSION	= 0.4CVS
 
+# build info
+
+WHO	= $(shell whoami)
+WHERE	= $(shell hostname)
+WHEN	= $(shell LANG=C date)
+ARCH	= $(shell uname -m -o)
+
+SIGNATURE = $(PACKAGE)-$(VERSION) $(WHO)@$(WHERE)($(ARCH)) $(WHEN)
+
 # tools to use
 
 ifneq ($(shell uname -m),m68k)
@@ -55,14 +64,14 @@ vmlinuz: vmlinux.bin
 	mv vmlinuz.out.gz vmlinuz
 
 first/first::
-	$(MAKE) -C first OBJCOPY=$(OBJCOPY) LD=$(LD) CC=$(CC) AS=$(AS)
+	$(MAKE) -C first OBJCOPY=$(OBJCOPY) LD=$(LD) CC=$(CC) AS=$(AS) SIGNATURE="$(SIGNATURE)"
 
 second/second::
 	$(MAKE) -C second OBJCOPY=$(OBJCOPY) LD=$(LD) CC=$(CC) AS=$(AS) \
-		VERSION=$(VERSION) KERNEL_ARCH=$(KERNEL_ARCH)
+		VERSION=$(VERSION) KERNEL_ARCH=$(KERNEL_ARCH) SIGNATURE="$(SIGNATURE)"
 
 tools::
-	$(MAKE) -C tools all
+	$(MAKE) -C tools all VERSION=$(VERSION) SIGNATURE="$(SIGNATURE)"
 
 
 dump: floppy.img
diff --git a/tools/Makefile b/tools/Makefile
index 9d0e7e8..a93c3d2 100644
--- a/tools/Makefile
+++ b/tools/Makefile
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
 PROGRAMS = emile-set-cmdline emile-first-info emile-first-tune emile-install
 
+CPPFLAGS = -DSIGNATURE="\"$(SIGNATURE)\""
 CFLAGS	= -Wall
 
 all: $(PROGRAMS)
diff --git a/tools/emile-first-info.c b/tools/emile-first-info.c
index 719692a..1be9d1d 100644
--- a/tools/emile-first-info.c
+++ b/tools/emile-first-info.c
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ static void usage(int argc, char** argv)
 {
 	fprintf(stderr, "Usage: %s <image>\n", argv[0]);
 	fprintf(stderr, "\n     display first level boot block info\n");
+	fprintf(stderr, "\nbuild: \n%s\n", SIGNATURE);
 }
 
 static void pprint(char *string)
diff --git a/tools/emile-first-tune.c b/tools/emile-first-tune.c
index 06d4a73..d81b76c 100644
--- a/tools/emile-first-tune.c
+++ b/tools/emile-first-tune.c
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ static void usage(int argc, char** argv)
 	fprintf(stderr,	"     -o <offset> : set offset of second level in bytes\n");
 	fprintf(stderr,	"     -s <size>   : set size of second level in bytes\n");
 	fprintf(stderr, "Display current values if no flags provided\n");
+	fprintf(stderr, "\nbuild: \n%s\n", SIGNATURE);
 }
 
 int first_tune( char* image, unsigned short tune_mask, int drive_num, 
diff --git a/tools/emile-install.c b/tools/emile-install.c
index 25d05f3..e23ff1b 100644
--- a/tools/emile-install.c
+++ b/tools/emile-install.c
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 static void usage(int argc, char** argv)
 {
 	fprintf(stderr, "Usage: %s -f <first level> -s <second level> -i <kernel image> -r <ramdisk> -b <buffer size> <image>\n", argv[0]);
+	fprintf(stderr, "\nbuild: \n%s\n", SIGNATURE);
 }
 
 static unsigned long get_size(char* file)
diff --git a/tools/emile-set-cmdline.c b/tools/emile-set-cmdline.c
index 989eaa4..0a44563 100644
--- a/tools/emile-set-cmdline.c
+++ b/tools/emile-set-cmdline.c
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ static void usage(int argc, char** argv)
 	/* and when kernel will support floppy driver:
          * KERNEL_ARGS="vga=normal noinitrd load_ramdisk=1 prompt_ramdisk=1 ramdisk_size=16384 root=/dev/fd0 disksize=1.44 flavor=compact"
 	 */
+	fprintf(stderr, "\nbuild: \n%s\n", SIGNATURE);
 }
 
 int set_cmdline(int readonly, char* image, char* cmdline)