diff --git a/tasks/rake/contrib/progressbar.rb b/tasks/rake/contrib/progressbar.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f8d219dc6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tasks/rake/contrib/progressbar.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,237 @@
+# = progressbar.rb
+#
+# == Copyright (C) 2001 Satoru Takabayashi
+#
+#   Ruby License
+#
+#   This module is free software. You may use, modify, and/or redistribute this
+#   software under the same terms as Ruby.
+#
+#   This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+#   ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
+#   FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
+#
+# == Author(s)
+#
+# * Satoru Takabayashi
+
+# Author::    Satoru Takabayashi
+# Copyright:: Copyright (c) 2001 Satoru Takabayashi
+# License::   Ruby License
+
+# = Console Progress Bar
+#
+# Console::ProgressBar is a terminal-based progress bar library.
+#
+# == Usage
+#
+#   pbar = ConsoleProgressBar.new( "Demo", 100 )
+#   100.times { pbar.inc }
+#   pbar.finish
+#
+
+module Console; end
+
+class Console::ProgressBar
+
+  def initialize(title, total, out = STDERR)
+    @title = title
+    @total = total
+    @out = out
+    @bar_length = 80
+    @bar_mark = "o"
+    @total_overflow = true
+    @current = 0
+    @previous = 0
+    @is_finished = false
+    @start_time = Time.now
+    @format = "%-14s %3d%% %s %s"
+    @format_arguments = [:title, :percentage, :bar, :stat]
+    show_progress
+  end
+
+  private
+  def convert_bytes (bytes)
+    if bytes < 1024
+      sprintf("%6dB", bytes)
+    elsif bytes < 1024 * 1000 # 1000kb
+      sprintf("%5.1fKB", bytes.to_f / 1024)
+    elsif bytes < 1024 * 1024 * 1000  # 1000mb
+      sprintf("%5.1fMB", bytes.to_f / 1024 / 1024)
+    else
+      sprintf("%5.1fGB", bytes.to_f / 1024 / 1024 / 1024)
+    end
+  end
+
+  def transfer_rate
+    bytes_per_second = @current.to_f / (Time.now - @start_time)
+    sprintf("%s/s", convert_bytes(bytes_per_second))
+  end
+
+  def bytes
+    convert_bytes(@current)
+  end
+
+  def format_time (t)
+    t = t.to_i
+    sec = t % 60
+    min  = (t / 60) % 60
+    hour = t / 3600
+    sprintf("%02d:%02d:%02d", hour, min, sec);
+  end
+
+  # ETA stands for Estimated Time of Arrival.
+  def eta
+    if @current == 0
+      "ETA:  --:--:--"
+    else
+      elapsed = Time.now - @start_time
+      eta = elapsed * @total / @current - elapsed;
+      sprintf("ETA:  %s", format_time(eta))
+    end
+  end
+
+  def elapsed
+    elapsed = Time.now - @start_time
+    sprintf("Time: %s", format_time(elapsed))
+  end
+
+  def stat
+    if @is_finished then elapsed else eta end
+  end
+
+  def stat_for_file_transfer
+    if @is_finished then 
+      sprintf("%s %s %s", bytes, transfer_rate, elapsed)
+    else 
+      sprintf("%s %s %s", bytes, transfer_rate, eta)
+    end
+  end
+
+  def eol
+    if @is_finished then "\n" else "\r" end
+  end
+
+  def bar
+    len = percentage * @bar_length / 100
+    sprintf("|%s%s|", @bar_mark * len, " " *  (@bar_length - len))
+  end
+
+  def percentage
+    if @total.zero?
+      100
+    else
+      @current  * 100 / @total
+    end
+  end
+
+  def title
+    @title[0,13] + ":"
+  end
+
+  def get_width
+    # FIXME: I don't know how portable it is.
+    default_width = 80
+    begin
+      tiocgwinsz = 0x5413
+      data = [0, 0, 0, 0].pack("SSSS")
+      if @out.ioctl(tiocgwinsz, data) >= 0 then
+        rows, cols, xpixels, ypixels = data.unpack("SSSS")
+        if cols >= 0 then cols else default_width end
+      else
+        default_width
+      end
+    rescue Exception
+      default_width
+    end
+  end
+
+  def show
+    arguments = @format_arguments.map {|method| send(method) }
+    line = sprintf(@format, *arguments)
+
+    width = get_width
+    if line.length == width - 1 
+      @out.print(line + eol)
+    elsif line.length >= width
+      @bar_length = [@bar_length - (line.length - width + 1), 0].max
+      if @bar_length == 0 then @out.print(line + eol) else show end
+    else #line.length < width - 1
+      @bar_length += width - line.length + 1
+      show
+    end
+  end
+
+  def show_progress
+    if @total.zero?
+      cur_percentage = 100
+      prev_percentage = 0
+    else
+      cur_percentage  = (@current  * 100 / @total).to_i
+      prev_percentage = (@previous * 100 / @total).to_i
+    end
+
+    if cur_percentage > prev_percentage || @is_finished
+      show
+    end
+  end
+
+  public
+  def file_transfer_mode
+    @format_arguments = [:title, :percentage, :bar, :stat_for_file_transfer]  
+  end
+
+  def bar_mark= (mark)
+    @bar_mark = String(mark)[0..0]
+  end
+
+  def total_overflow= (boolv)
+    @total_overflow = boolv ? true : false
+  end
+
+  def format= (format)
+    @format = format
+  end
+
+  def format_arguments= (arguments)
+    @format_arguments = arguments
+  end
+
+  def finish
+    @current = @total
+    @is_finished = true
+    show_progress
+  end
+
+  def halt
+    @is_finished = true
+    show_progress
+  end
+
+  def set (count)
+    if count < 0
+      raise "invalid count less than zero: #{count}"
+    elsif count > @total
+      if @total_overflow
+        @total = count + 1
+      else
+        raise "invalid count greater than total: #{count}"
+      end
+    end
+    @current = count
+    show_progress
+    @previous = @current
+  end
+
+  def inc (step = 1)
+    @current += step
+    @current = @total if @current > @total
+    show_progress
+    @previous = @current
+  end
+
+  def inspect
+    "(ProgressBar: #{@current}/#{@total})"
+  end
+
+end
diff --git a/tasks/rake/contrib/uri_ext.rb b/tasks/rake/contrib/uri_ext.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..41fe9038c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tasks/rake/contrib/uri_ext.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,314 @@
+#
+# I've striped down dependencies on Net::SSH and Facets to
+# stay as simple as possible.
+#
+# Original code from Assaf Arkin in the buildr project, released under Apache
+# License [Apache License 2.0](http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0)
+#
+# Licensed to Puppet Labs under one or more contributor license agreements.
+# See the NOTICE file distributed with this work for additional information
+# regarding copyright ownership.  Puppet Labs licenses this file to you under
+# the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may not use this file
+# except in compliance with the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License
+# at
+#
+#    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+# WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.  See the
+# License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations under
+# the License.
+
+require 'cgi'
+require 'uri'
+require 'net/http'
+require 'net/https'
+require 'tempfile'
+require 'fileutils'
+
+# show progress of download
+require File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), 'progressbar')
+
+# Not quite open-uri, but similar. Provides read and write methods for the resource represented by the URI.
+# Currently supports reads for URI::HTTP and writes for URI::SFTP. Also provides convenience methods for
+# downloads and uploads.
+module URI
+  # Raised when trying to read/download a resource that doesn't exist.
+  class NotFoundError < RuntimeError; end
+
+  class << self
+    # :call-seq:
+    #   read(uri, options?) => content
+    #   read(uri, options?) { |chunk| ... }
+    #
+    # Reads from the resource behind this URI. The first form returns the content of the resource,
+    # the second form yields to the block with each chunk of content (usually more than one).
+    #
+    # For example:
+    #   File.open "image.jpg", "w" do |file|
+    #     URI.read("http://example.com/image.jpg") { |chunk| file.write chunk }
+    #   end
+    # Shorter version:
+    #   File.open("image.jpg", "w") { |file| file.write URI.read("http://example.com/image.jpg") }
+    #
+    # Supported options:
+    # * :modified -- Only download if file modified since this timestamp. Returns nil if not modified.
+    # * :progress -- Show the progress bar while reading.
+    def read(uri, options = nil, &block)
+      uri = URI.parse(uri.to_s) unless URI === uri
+      uri.read(options, &block)
+    end
+
+    # :call-seq:
+    #   download(uri, target, options?)
+    #
+    # Downloads the resource to the target.
+    #
+    # The target may be a file name (string or task), in which case the file is created from the resource.
+    # The target may also be any object that responds to +write+, e.g. File, StringIO, Pipe.
+    #
+    # Use the progress bar when running in verbose mode.
+    def download(uri, target, options = nil)
+      uri = URI.parse(uri.to_s) unless URI === uri
+      uri.download(target, options)
+    end
+      
+    # :call-seq:
+    #   write(uri, content, options?)
+    #   write(uri, options?) { |bytes| .. }
+    #
+    # Writes to the resource behind the URI. The first form writes the content from a string or an object
+    # that responds to +read+ and optionally +size+. The second form writes the content by yielding to the
+    # block. Each yield should return up to the specified number of bytes, the last yield returns nil.
+    #
+    # For example:
+    #   File.open "killer-app.jar", "rb" do |file|
+    #     write("sftp://localhost/jars/killer-app.jar") { |chunk| file.read(chunk) }
+    #   end
+    # Or:
+    #   write "sftp://localhost/jars/killer-app.jar", File.read("killer-app.jar")
+    #
+    # Supported options:
+    # * :progress -- Show the progress bar while reading.
+    def write(uri, *args, &block)
+      uri = URI.parse(uri.to_s) unless URI === uri
+      uri.write(*args, &block)
+    end
+  end
+
+  class Generic
+
+    # :call-seq:
+    #   read(options?) => content
+    #   read(options?) { |chunk| ... }
+    #
+    # Reads from the resource behind this URI. The first form returns the content of the resource,
+    # the second form yields to the block with each chunk of content (usually more than one).
+    #
+    # For options, see URI::read.
+    def read(options = nil, &block)
+      fail "This protocol doesn't support reading (yet, how about helping by implementing it?)"
+    end
+  
+    # :call-seq:
+    #   download(target, options?)
+    #
+    # Downloads the resource to the target.
+    #
+    # The target may be a file name (string or task), in which case the file is created from the resource.
+    # The target may also be any object that responds to +write+, e.g. File, StringIO, Pipe.
+    #
+    # Use the progress bar when running in verbose mode.
+    def download(target, options = {})
+      case target
+      when String
+        # If download breaks we end up with a partial file which is
+        # worse than not having a file at all, so download to temporary
+        # file and then move over.
+        modified = File.stat(target).mtime if File.exist?(target)
+        temp = nil
+        Tempfile.open(File.basename(target)) do |tf|
+          tf.binmode
+          read(options.merge(:modified => modified)) { |chunk| tf.write chunk }
+          temp = tf
+        end
+        FileUtils.mkpath(File.dirname(target))
+        FileUtils.move(temp.path, target)
+      when File
+        read(options.merge(:modified => target.mtime)) { |chunk| target.write chunk }
+        target.flush
+      else
+        raise ArgumentError, "Expecting a target that is either a file name (string, task) or object that responds to write (file, pipe)." unless target.respond_to?(:write)
+        read(options) { |chunk| target.write chunk }
+        target.flush
+      end
+    end
+
+    # :call-seq:
+    #   write(content, options?)
+    #   write(options?) { |bytes| .. }
+    #
+    # Writes to the resource behind the URI. The first form writes the content from a string or an object
+    # that responds to +read+ and optionally +size+. The second form writes the content by yielding to the
+    # block. Each yield should return up to the specified number of bytes, the last yield returns nil.
+    #
+    # For options, see URI::write.
+    def write(*args, &block)
+      options = args.pop if Hash === args.last
+      options ||= {}
+      if String === args.first
+        ios = StringIO.new(args.first, "r")
+        write(options.merge(:size => args.first.size)) { |bytes| ios.read(bytes) }
+      elsif args.first.respond_to?(:read)
+        size = args.first.size rescue nil
+        write({ :size => size }.merge(options)) { |bytes| args.first.read(bytes) }
+      elsif args.empty? && block
+        write_internal(options, &block)
+      else
+        raise ArgumentError, "Either give me the content, or pass me a block, otherwise what would I upload?"
+      end
+    end
+
+  protected
+
+    # :call-seq:
+    #   with_progress_bar(enable, file_name, size) { |progress| ... }
+    #
+    # Displays a progress bar while executing the block. The first argument must be true for the
+    # progress bar to show (TTY output also required), as a convenient for selectively using the
+    # progress bar from a single block.
+    #
+    # The second argument provides a filename to display, the third its size in bytes.
+    #
+    # The block is yielded with a progress object that implements a single method.
+    # Call << for each block of bytes down/uploaded.
+    def with_progress_bar(enable, file_name, size) #:nodoc:
+      file_name = CGI.unescape(file_name)
+      if enable && $stdout.isatty
+        progress_bar = Console::ProgressBar.new(file_name, size)
+        # Extend the progress bar so we can display count/total.
+        class << progress_bar
+          def total()
+            convert_bytes(@total)
+          end
+        end
+        # Squeeze the filename into 30 characters.
+        unescaped = CGI.unescape(file_name)
+        if unescaped.size > 30
+          base, ext = File.basename(unescaped), File.extname(unescaped)
+          truncated = "#{base[0..26-ext.to_s.size]}..#{ext}"
+        else
+          truncated = unescaped
+        end
+        progress_bar.format = "#{truncated}: %3d%% %s %s/%s %s"
+        progress_bar.format_arguments = [:percentage, :bar, :bytes, :total, :stat]
+        progress_bar.bar_mark = "o"
+
+        begin
+          class << progress_bar
+            def <<(bytes)
+              inc bytes.respond_to?(:size) ? bytes.size : bytes
+            end
+          end
+          yield progress_bar
+        ensure
+          progress_bar.finish
+        end
+      else
+        progress_bar = Object.new
+        class << progress_bar
+          def <<(bytes)
+          end
+        end
+        yield progress_bar
+      end
+    end
+
+    # :call-seq:
+    #   proxy_uri() => URI?
+    #
+    # Returns the proxy server to use. Obtains the proxy from the relevant environment variable (e.g. HTTP_PROXY).
+    # Supports exclusions based on host name and port number from environment variable NO_PROXY.
+    def proxy_uri()
+      proxy = ENV["#{scheme.upcase}_PROXY"]
+      proxy = URI.parse(proxy) if String === proxy
+      excludes = (ENV["NO_PROXY"] || "").split(/\s*,\s*/).compact
+      excludes = excludes.map { |exclude| exclude =~ /:\d+$/ ? exclude : "#{exclude}:*" }
+      return proxy unless excludes.any? { |exclude| File.fnmatch(exclude, "#{host}:#{port}") }
+    end
+
+    def write_internal(options, &block) #:nodoc:
+      fail "This protocol doesn't support writing (yet, how about helping by implementing it?)"
+    end
+  end
+
+  class HTTP #:nodoc:
+
+    # See URI::Generic#read
+    def read(options = nil, &block)
+      options ||= {}
+      connect do |http|
+        puts "Requesting #{self}" if Rake.application.options.verbose
+        headers = { 'If-Modified-Since' => CGI.rfc1123_date(options[:modified].utc) } if options[:modified]
+        request = Net::HTTP::Get.new(request_uri.empty? ? '/' : request_uri, headers)
+        request.basic_auth self.user, self.password if self.user
+        http.request request do |response|
+          case response
+          when Net::HTTPNotModified
+            # No modification, nothing to do.
+            puts 'Not modified since last download' if Rake.application.options.verbose
+            return nil
+          when Net::HTTPRedirection
+            # Try to download from the new URI, handle relative redirects.
+            puts "Redirected to #{response['Location']}" if Rake.application.options.verbose
+            return (self + URI.parse(response['location'])).read(options, &block)
+          when Net::HTTPOK
+            puts "Downloading #{self}" if Rake.application.options.verbose
+            result = nil
+            with_progress_bar options[:progress], path.split('/').last, response.content_length do |progress|
+              if block
+                response.read_body do |chunk|
+                  block.call chunk
+                  progress << chunk
+                end
+              else
+                result = ''
+                response.read_body do |chunk|
+                  result << chunk
+                  progress << chunk
+                end
+              end
+            end
+            return result
+          when Net::HTTPNotFound
+            raise NotFoundError, "Looking for #{self} and all I got was a 404!"
+          else
+            raise RuntimeError, "Failed to download #{self}: #{response.message}"
+          end
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+  private
+
+    def connect
+      if proxy = proxy_uri
+        proxy = URI.parse(proxy) if String === proxy
+        http = Net::HTTP.new(host, port, proxy.host, proxy.port, proxy.user, proxy.password)
+      else
+        http = Net::HTTP.new(host, port)
+      end
+      if self.instance_of? URI::HTTPS
+        cacert = "downloads/#{RubyInstaller::Certificate.file}"
+        http.use_ssl = true
+        if File.exist?(cacert)
+          http.ca_file = cacert
+        else
+          http.verify_mode = OpenSSL::SSL::VERIFY_NONE
+        end
+      end
+      yield http
+    end
+  end  
+end
diff --git a/tasks/rake/downloadtask.rb b/tasks/rake/downloadtask.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..559fa5a62
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tasks/rake/downloadtask.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+#
+# This Rake Task is a striped down version of Buildr download task
+# I took the code from http://rubyforge.org/projects/buildr
+#
+# I've striped down dependencies on Net::SSH and Facets to
+# stay as simple as possible.
+#
+# Original code from Assaf Arkin in the buildr project, released under Apache
+# License [Apache License 2.0](http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0)
+#
+# Licensed to Puppet Labs under one or more contributor license agreements.
+# See the NOTICE file distributed with this work for additional information
+# regarding copyright ownership.  Puppet Labs licenses this file to you under
+# the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may not use this file
+# except in compliance with the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License
+# at
+#
+#    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+# WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.  See the
+# License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations under
+# the License.
+
+require 'rake'
+require 'tempfile'
+
+require File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), 'contrib', 'uri_ext')
+
+def download(args)
+  args = URI.parse(args) if args.is_a?(String)
+
+  options = {
+    :progress => true,
+    :verbose => Rake.application.options.trace
+  }
+
+  # Given only a download URL, download into a temporary file.
+  # You can infer the file from task name.
+  if URI === args
+    temp = Tempfile.open(File.basename(args.to_s))
+    file_create(temp.path) do |task|
+      # Since temporary file exists, force a download.
+      class << task ; def needed?() ; true ; end ; end
+      task.sources << args
+      task.enhance { args.download(temp, options) }
+    end
+  else
+    # Download to a file task instead
+    fail unless args.keys.size == 1
+    uri = URI.parse(args.values.first.to_s)
+    file_create(args.keys.first) do |task|
+      task.sources << uri
+      task.enhance { uri.download(task.name, options) }
+    end
+  end
+end