diff --git a/contribute.rb b/contribute.rb
index c567a8b1e..8664082f2 100755
--- a/contribute.rb
+++ b/contribute.rb
@@ -1,15 +1,24 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env ruby
 
+require 'rubygems'
 module ContributeHelper; end
 
 class Contribute
   include ContributeHelper
+  
+  def dependencies
+    [
+      Dependencies::Sphinx,
+      Dependencies::Mysql,
+      Dependencies::Ginger
+    ]
+  end
 
   def show
     show_welcome_screen
     
     (
-      check_for_mysql_gem            &&
+      check_for_dependencies         &&
       create_database_yaml           &&
       check_mysql_gem_is_working     &&
       create_test_database
@@ -20,11 +29,12 @@ def show
 
 private
 WELCOME_SCREEN = <<-EO_WELCOME
-  <banner>Thinking Sphinx Contribution</banner>
+<banner>Thinking Sphinx Contribution</banner>
 
 Thanks for contributing to Thinking Sphinx.
 
 In this script we'll help you get started contributing to Thinking Sphinx
+
 EO_WELCOME
 
   def show_welcome_screen
@@ -34,35 +44,91 @@ def show_welcome_screen
   def show_done_screen
     puts "done!"
   end
-
-  # check / install mysql gem
-  def check_for_mysql_gem
-    puts "check_for_mysql_gem"
-    true
+  
+  def check_for_dependencies
+    colour_puts "<banner>Checking for required software</banner>"
+    puts
+    
+    all_found = true
+    
+    dependencies.each do |klass|
+      dep = klass.new
+      print " * #{dep.name}... "
+      dep.check!
+      
+      if dep.found?
+        if dep.location
+          colour_puts "<green>found at #{dep.location}</green>"
+        else
+          colour_puts "<green>found</green>"
+        end
+      else
+        all_found &= false
+        colour_puts "<red>not found</red>"
+      end
+    end
+    
+    puts
+    
+    all_found
   end
 
-  def check_mysql_gem_is_working
-    puts "check_mysql_gem_is_working"
+  def check_mysql_is_working
+    colour_puts "<banner>check mysql gem is working</banner>"
     false
   end
 
   # create database.yml
   def create_database_yaml
-    puts "create_database_yaml"
+    colour_puts "<banner>creating database yaml</banner>"
     false
   end
 
   # create test db
   def create_test_database
-    puts "create_test_database"
+    colour_puts "<banner>create test database</banner>"
     false
   end
 end
 
 module ContributeHelper
+  class Dependency
+    def self.name(name=nil)
+      if name then @name = name else @name end
+    end
+    
+    attr_reader :location
+    
+    def initialize
+      @found = false
+      @location = nil
+    end
+    
+    def name; self.class.name end
+    
+    def check; false end
+    def check!
+      @found = check 
+    end
+    
+    def found?
+      @found
+    end
+  end
+  
+  class Gem < Dependency
+    def gem_name; self.class.name end
+    def name; "#{super} gem" end
+    
+    def check
+      ::Gem.available? self.gem_name
+    end
+  end
+  
+  
+  
   DEFAULT_TERMINAL_COLORS = "\e[0m\e[37m\e[40m"
   def subs_colour(data)
-
   	data = data.gsub(%r{<b>(.*?)</b>}m, "\e[1m\\1#{DEFAULT_TERMINAL_COLORS}")
   	data.gsub!(%r{<red>(.*?)</red>}m, "\e[1m\e[31m\\1#{DEFAULT_TERMINAL_COLORS}")
   	data.gsub!(%r{<green>(.*?)</green>}m, "\e[1m\e[32m\\1#{DEFAULT_TERMINAL_COLORS}")
@@ -77,4 +143,24 @@ def colour_puts(text)
   end
 end
 
+module Dependencies
+  class Mysql < ContributeHelper::Gem
+    name 'mysql'
+  end
+  
+  class Ginger < ContributeHelper::Gem
+    name 'ginger'
+  end
+  
+  class Sphinx < ContributeHelper::Dependency
+    name 'sphinx'
+    
+    def check
+      output = `which searchd`
+      @location = output.chomp if $? == 0
+      $? == 0
+    end
+  end
+end
+
 Contribute.new.show
\ No newline at end of file