diff --git a/doc/mes.texi b/doc/mes.texi
index 67219e62..7fed87db 100644
--- a/doc/mes.texi
+++ b/doc/mes.texi
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ Bootstrapping
 * The Mes Bootstrap Process::   How Mes will make you yogurt from pure milk.
 * Invoking Mes::                Running Mes, a minimalist Guile lookalike.
 * Invoking MesCC::              Running the MesCC bootstrap compiler.
+* Invoking mesar::
 
 Invoking Mes
 
@@ -98,6 +99,7 @@ Contributing
 
 * Building from Git::           The latest and greatest.
 * Running Mes From the Source Tree::  Hacker tricks.
+* Porting GNU Mes::             Teach Mes about your platform.
 * The Perfect Setup::           The right tools.
 * Coding Style::                Hygiene of the contributor.
 * Submitting Patches::          Share your work.
@@ -585,6 +587,7 @@ responsibility.
 * The Mes Bootstrap Process::   How Mes will make you yogurt from pure milk.
 * Invoking Mes::                Running Mes, a minimalist Guile lookalike.
 * Invoking MesCC::              Running the MesCC bootstrap compiler.
+* Invoking mesar::
 @end menu
 
 @node The Mes Bootstrap Process
@@ -874,7 +877,7 @@ preprocess and compile only; do not assemble or link
 @item --std=STANDARD
 assume that the input sources are for STANDARD
 
-@item -v, --version
+@item -V,--version
 display version and exit
 
 @item -w,--write=TYPE
@@ -918,6 +921,34 @@ during the parsing phase.
 
 @end table
 
+@node Invoking mesar
+@section Invoking mesar
+
+@example
+mesar @var{option}@dots{} @var{command} @file{ARCHIVE-FILE} @file{FILE}@dots{}
+@end example
+
+The @var{command} is ignored for compatibility with @file{ar}
+
+@example
+  r[ab][f][u]  - replace existing or insert new file(s) into the archive
+  [c]          - do not warn if the library had to be created
+  [D]          - use zero for timestamps and uids/gids (default)
+@end example
+
+and assumed to be @var{crD}.
+
+The @var{option}s can be among the following:
+
+@table @code
+
+@item -h, --help
+display this help and exit
+
+@item -V,--version
+display version and exit
+
+@end table
 
 @c *********************************************************************
 @node Contributing
diff --git a/mes/module/mes/boot-0.scm b/mes/module/mes/boot-0.scm
index bca82483..1925bf5f 100644
--- a/mes/module/mes/boot-0.scm
+++ b/mes/module/mes/boot-0.scm
@@ -213,6 +213,7 @@
               (load-path (single-char #\L) (value #t))
               (main (single-char #\e) (value #t))
               (source (single-char #\s) (value #t))
+              (version (single-char #\v))
               (version (single-char #\V)))))
       (getopt-long args option-spec #:stop-at-first-non-option #t)))
   (define (source-arg? o)
@@ -234,8 +235,9 @@
           (exit 0))
      (and (or help? usage?)
           (display "Usage: mes [OPTION]... [FILE]...
-Evaluate code with Mes, interactively or from a script.
+Scheme interpreter for bootstrapping the GNU system.
 
+Options:
   [-s] FILE            load source code from FILE, and exit
   -c EXPR              evalute expression EXPR, and exit
   --                   stop scanning arguments; run interactively
diff --git a/module/mescc.scm b/module/mescc.scm
index 36696d76..707a85eb 100644
--- a/module/mescc.scm
+++ b/module/mescc.scm
@@ -92,6 +92,9 @@
            (and (or help? usage?)
                 (format (or (and usage? (current-error-port)) (current-output-port)) "\
 Usage: mescc [OPTION]... FILE...
+C99 compiler in Scheme for bootstrapping the GNU system.
+
+Options:
   --align             align globals
   --arch=ARCH         compile for ARCH [~a]
   -dumpmachine        display the compiler's target machine
@@ -112,7 +115,7 @@ Usage: mescc [OPTION]... FILE...
   -O LEVEL            use optimizing LEVEL
   -S                  preprocess and compile only; do not assemble or link
   --std=STANDARD      assume that the input sources are for STANDARD
-  -v, --version       display version and exit
+  -V,--version        display version and exit
   -w,--write=TYPE     dump Nyacc AST using TYPE {pretty-print,write}
   -x LANGUAGE         specify LANGUAGE of the following input files
 
diff --git a/scripts/diff.scm b/scripts/diff.scm
index b075cdc6..387d3e8b 100755
--- a/scripts/diff.scm
+++ b/scripts/diff.scm
@@ -113,10 +113,28 @@ exec ${MES-mes} -L ${0%/*} -e '(diff)' -s "$0" "$@"
                                      (cdr a-lines) (cdr b-lines))))))))))
 
 (define (main args)
-  (let* ((files (cdr args))
-         (files (if (string-prefix? "-" (car files)) (cdr files) files))
-         (hunks (apply diff-files (list-head files 2))))
-    (when (pair? hunks)
-      (display (string-join (append-map hunk->lines hunks) "\n"))
-      (newline)
-      (exit 1))))
+  (let ((files (cdr args)))
+    (when (or (null? files)
+              (equal? (car files) "-h")
+              (equal? (car files) "--help"))
+      (display "
+Usage: diff.scm [OPTION]... FILES
+Compare FILES line by line.
+
+Options:
+  -u,--unified        display unified diff (default)
+  -h,--help           display this help and exit
+  -V,--version        display version information and exit
+")
+      (exit (if (null? files) 2 0)))
+    (when (or (equal? (car files) "-V")
+              (equal? (car files) "--version"))
+      (display "
+diff.scm (GNU Mes) 0.20
+"))
+    (let* ((files (if (string-prefix? "-" (car files)) (cdr files) files))
+           (hunks (apply diff-files (list-head files 2))))
+     (when (pair? hunks)
+       (display (string-join (append-map hunk->lines hunks) "\n"))
+       (newline)
+       (exit 1)))))
diff --git a/scripts/mesar.in b/scripts/mesar.in
index 883f7d34..364aa67d 100644
--- a/scripts/mesar.in
+++ b/scripts/mesar.in
@@ -22,10 +22,56 @@ if [ "$V" = 2 ]; then
     set -x
 fi
 
+# parse arguments
+while [ $# -gt 0 ]; do
+    case $1 in
+        (-h|--help)
+        cat <<EOF
+Usage: mesar [OPTION]... COMMAND ARCHIVE-FILE FILE...
+Archiver for MesCC.
+
+Commands:
+  r[ab][f][u]  - replace existing or insert new file(s) into the archive
+  [c]          - do not warn if the library had to be created
+  [D]          - use zero for timestamps and uids/gids (default)
+
+are ignored and assumed to be "crD".
+
+Options:
+  -h,--help           display this help and exit
+  -V,--version        display version information and exit
+EOF
+        exit 0
+            ;;
+        (-V|--version)
+        cat <<EOF
+mesar (GNU Mes) @VERSION@
+EOF
+        exit 0
+        ;;
+        -*) shift
+        ;;
+        *) break
+        ;;
+    esac
+done
+
 command=$1
-archive=$2
 shift
+if [ -z "$command" ]; then
+    echo "AR: Usage error: missing command." 1>&2
+    exit 2
+fi
+archive=$1
 shift
+if [ -z "$archive" ]; then
+    echo "AR: Usage error: missing archive" 1>&2
+    exit 2
+fi
+if [ $# -eq 0 ]; then
+    echo "AR: Usage error: missing object files" 1>&2
+    exit 2
+fi
 M1_archive=$(dirname "$archive")/$(basename "$archive" .a).s
 for o in "$@"; do
     s=$(dirname "$o")/$(basename "$o" .o).s