Index: modules/library/metadata/src/main/java/org/geotools/factory/GeoTools.java
===================================================================
--- modules/library/metadata/src/main/java/org/geotools/factory/GeoTools.java	(revision 38126)
+++ modules/library/metadata/src/main/java/org/geotools/factory/GeoTools.java	(working copy)
@@ -17,14 +17,18 @@
 package org.geotools.factory;
 
 import java.awt.RenderingHints;
+import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.HashSet;
+import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Properties;
 import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.StringTokenizer;
 
+import java.util.regex.Matcher;
+import java.util.regex.Pattern;
 import javax.naming.Context;
 import javax.naming.InitialContext;
 import javax.naming.NamingException;
@@ -32,8 +36,8 @@
 import javax.swing.event.ChangeListener;
 import javax.swing.event.EventListenerList;
 
+import org.geotools.resources.Arguments;
 import org.geotools.resources.Classes;
-import org.geotools.resources.Arguments;
 import org.geotools.resources.i18n.Errors;
 import org.geotools.resources.i18n.ErrorKeys;
 import org.geotools.util.logging.LoggerFactory;
@@ -202,7 +206,7 @@
      */
     private GeoTools() {
     }
-
+    
     /**
      * Binds the specified {@linkplain System#getProperty(String) system property}
      * to the specified key. Only one key can be binded to a given system property.
@@ -226,8 +230,79 @@
         throw new IllegalArgumentException(Errors.format(ErrorKeys.ILLEGAL_ARGUMENT_$2,
                 "property", property));
     }
+    
+    /**
+     * Returns summary information about GeoTools and the current environment. This is
+     * a shortcut for {@code getAboutInfo(true, true, true}.
+     * 
+     * @return requested information as a string
+     * 
+     * @see #getAboutInfo(boolean, boolean, boolean) 
+     */
+    public static String getAboutInfo() {
+        return getAboutInfo(true, true, true);
+    }
 
     /**
+     * Returns summary information about GeoTools and the current environment.
+     * 
+     * @param showJava whether to include Java version
+     * @param showOS whether to include operating system name and version
+     * @param showGeoToolsJars whether to include a listing of GeoTools jars on the classpath
+     * 
+     * @return requested information as a string
+     */
+    public static String getAboutInfo(boolean showJava, boolean showOS, boolean showGeoToolsJars) {
+        final String newline = String.format("%n");
+        final String indent = "    ";
+        
+        final StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder("GeoTools version ");
+        
+        sb.append(getVersion().toString());
+        if (sb.toString().endsWith("SNAPSHOT")) {
+            sb.append(" (built from r").append(getBuildRevision().toString()).append(")");
+        }
+        
+        if (showJava) {
+        sb.append(newline).append("Java version: ");
+        sb.append(System.getProperty("java.version"));
+        }
+        
+        if (showOS) {
+        sb.append(newline).append("Operating system: ");
+        sb.append(System.getProperty("os.name")).append(' ').append(System.getProperty("os.version"));
+        }
+        
+        if (showGeoToolsJars) {
+            sb.append(newline).append("GeoTools jars on classpath:");
+            for (String jarName : getGeoToolsJars()) {
+                sb.append(newline).append(indent).append(jarName);
+            }
+        }
+        
+        return sb.toString();
+    }
+    
+    private static List<String> getGeoToolsJars() {
+        final Pattern pattern = Pattern.compile(".*\\/" + getVersion() + "\\/(gt-.*jar$)");
+        List<String> jarNames = new ArrayList<String>();
+        
+        String pathSep = System.getProperty("path.separator");
+        String classpath = System.getProperty("java.class.path");
+        StringTokenizer st = new StringTokenizer(classpath, pathSep);
+        while (st.hasMoreTokens()) {
+            String path = st.nextToken();
+            Matcher matcher = pattern.matcher(path);
+            if (matcher.find()) {
+                jarNames.add(matcher.group(1));
+            }
+        }
+        
+        Collections.sort(jarNames);
+        return jarNames;
+    }
+    
+    /**
      * Reports back the version of GeoTools being used.
      *
      * @return The current GeoTools version.