diff --git a/Readme.md b/Readme.md
index 4dba169..9233cd5 100644
--- a/Readme.md
+++ b/Readme.md
@@ -23,15 +23,15 @@ To learn more about the project and its goals, read the [announcement post](http
 
 The Orca command-line tools must be installed to your system in order to use them in your own projects.
 
-**At this early stage, you must build Orca yourself - in the future, this installation process will be streamlined.**
+**At this early stage, you must build Orca yourself - in the future, there will be fewer dependencies and this installation process will be streamlined.**
 
 ### Requirements
 
 - Windows or Mac (Linux is not yet supported)
-- [Python 3](https://www.python.org/) (for command line tools)
+- [Python 3.8](https://www.python.org/) or newer (for command line tools)
 - Clang
 	- **Windows users:** `clang` can be installed via the Visual Studio installer. Search for "C++ Clang Compiler".
-	- **Mac users:** Apple's built-in `clang` does not support WebAssembly. We recommend installing `clang` via [Homebrew](https://brew.sh/) with `brew install clang`.
+	- **Mac users:** Apple's built-in `clang` does not support WebAssembly. We recommend installing `clang` via [Homebrew](https://brew.sh/) with `brew install llvm`.
 - MSVC (Visual Studio 2022 17.5 or newer) (Windows only)
 	- This can be installed through the [Visual Studio Community](https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/) installer. Ensure that your Visual Studio installation includes "Desktop development with C++".
 	- Please note the version requirement! Orca requires C11 atomics, which were only added to MSVC in late 2022.
@@ -50,13 +50,13 @@ cd orca
 Build the Orca runtime:
 
 ```
-./orca dev build-runtime
+python orca dev build-runtime
 ```
 
 Install the Orca dev tools. If on Windows, the tool can automatically add `orca` to your PATH. Otherwise, you must manually add the Orca install directory to your PATH, e.g. by updating `.zshrc` or `.bashrc`.
 
 ```
-./orca dev install
+python orca dev install
 ```
 
 Finally, verify that Orca is successfully installed by running the `orca version` command. Note the lack of `./`!
diff --git a/orca b/orca
index c973d97..650ca33 100755
--- a/orca
+++ b/orca
@@ -7,10 +7,17 @@ import os
 import sys
 
 
+MAJOR, MINOR = 3, 8
+
 if __name__ != "__main__":
     print("why are you importing the orca command-line tool as a Python module, you absolute goofball")
     exit(1)
 
+if sys.version_info.major < MAJOR or sys.version_info.minor < MINOR:
+    print("Your Python version is too old.")
+    print("Orca requires version {}.{}, but you have version {}.{}.".format(MAJOR, MINOR, sys.version_info.major, sys.version_info.minor))
+    exit(1)
+
 
 # If you modify this, be sure to modify the version in scripts/dev.py as well.
 def check_if_source():
diff --git a/orca.bat b/orca.bat
index 99adab7..7a9e437 100644
--- a/orca.bat
+++ b/orca.bat
@@ -3,5 +3,5 @@
 rem Get the directory of this batch script
 set "script_dir=%~dp0"
 
-python3 "%script_dir%orca" %*
+python "%script_dir%orca" %*
 exit /b %errorlevel%
diff --git a/scripts/dev.py b/scripts/dev.py
index c71c934..c9d3292 100644
--- a/scripts/dev.py
+++ b/scripts/dev.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import glob
 import os
 import platform
+import re
 import urllib.request
 import shutil
 import subprocess
@@ -406,16 +407,33 @@ def gen_all_bindings():
 
 def ensure_programs():
     if platform.system() == "Windows":
+        MSVC_MAJOR, MSVC_MINOR = 19, 35
         try:
-            # TODO: Verify that the output includes `x64`
-            subprocess.run(["cl"], stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL, stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL)
+            result = subprocess.run(["cl"], capture_output=True, text=True)
+            if "for x64" not in result.stderr:
+                msg = log_error("MSVC is not running in 64-bit mode. Make sure you are running in")
+                msg.more("an x64 Visual Studio command prompt, such as the \"x64 Native Tools")
+                msg.more("Command Prompt\" from your Start Menu.")
+                msg.more()
+                msg.more("MSVC reported itself as:")
+                msg.more(result.stderr.splitlines()[0])
+                exit(1)
+
+            m = re.search(r"Version (\d+)\.(\d+).(\d+)", result.stderr)
+            major, minor, patch = int(m.group(1)), int(m.group(2)), int(m.group(3))
+            if major < MSVC_MAJOR or minor < MSVC_MINOR:
+                msg = log_error(f"Your version of MSVC is too old. You have version {major}.{minor}.{patch},")
+                msg.more(f"but version {MSVC_MAJOR}.{MSVC_MINOR} or greater is required.")
+                msg.more()
+                msg.more("Please update Visual Studio to the latest version and try again.")
+                exit(1)
         except FileNotFoundError:
             msg = log_error("MSVC was not found on your system.")
             msg.more("If you have already installed Visual Studio, make sure you are running in an")
-            msg.more("x64 Visual Studio command prompt or you have run vcvarsall.bat with x64 for")
-            msg.more("the architecture. Otherwise, download and install Visual Studio, and ensure")
-            msg.more("that your installation includes \"Desktop development with C++\" and")
-            msg.more("\"C++ Clang Compiler\": https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/")
+            msg.more("x64 Visual Studio command prompt, such as the \"x64 Native Tools Command")
+            msg.more("Prompt\" from your Start Menu. Otherwise, download and install Visual Studio,")
+            msg.more("and ensure that your installation includes \"Desktop development with C++\"")
+            msg.more("and \"C++ Clang Compiler\": https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/")
             exit(1)
 
     try: