diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 6947dd1a..e9d55eef 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ project (boss)
 
 set (BOSS_SRC "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/backend/metadata.cpp" "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/backend/game.cpp" "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/backend/helpers.cpp" "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/backend/network.cpp" "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/backend/globals.cpp" "${PROJECT_LIBS_DIR}/pugixml/src/pugixml.cpp")
 
+set (BOSS_SRC ${BOSS_SRC} "${PROJECT_LIBS_DIR}/boost/libs/iostreams/src/file_descriptor.cpp")
+
 # Include source and library directories.
 include_directories ("${PROJECT_LIBS_DIR}/alphanum" "${PROJECT_LIBS_DIR}/boost" "${PROJECT_LIBS_DIR}/yaml-cpp/include" "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src" "${PROJECT_LIBS_DIR}/libloadorder/src" "${PROJECT_LIBS_DIR}/libespm" "${PROJECT_LIBS_DIR}/zlib" "${PROJECT_LIBS_DIR}/pugixml/src" "${PROJECT_LIBS_DIR}/wxWidgets/include")
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index bf86308e..27c70b22 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ Follow the instructions in libloadorder's README to build it as a static library
 ### BOSS
 
 ```
+mkdir build
 cd build
 cmake .. -DPROJECT_LIBS_DIR=.. -DPROJECT_ARCH=32 -DPROJECT_LINK=STATIC -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=mingw-toolchain.cmake
 make
diff --git a/src/api/api.cpp b/src/api/api.cpp
index c0f80fc8..1f915226 100644
--- a/src/api/api.cpp
+++ b/src/api/api.cpp
@@ -591,7 +591,7 @@ BOSS_API unsigned int boss_write_minimal_list (boss_db db, const char * const ou
          << YAML::Key << "plugins" << YAML::Value << temp
          << YAML::EndMap;
 
-    boss::ofstream out(outputFile);
+    boss::ofstream out(boost::filesystem::path(outputFile));
     if (out.fail())
         return boss_error_invalid_args;
     out << yout.c_str();
diff --git a/src/backend/generators.h b/src/backend/generators.h
index 8e3d4d58..2572e3c5 100644
--- a/src/backend/generators.h
+++ b/src/backend/generators.h
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <list>
 #include <boost/algorithm/string.hpp>
+#include <boost/filesystem.hpp>
 
 namespace boss {
 
@@ -509,7 +510,7 @@ namespace boss {
         yout.SetIndent(2);
         yout << root;
         
-        boss::ofstream out(file.c_str());
+        boss::ofstream out(boost::filesystem::path(file));
         out << yout.c_str();
         out.close();
     }
diff --git a/src/backend/helpers.cpp b/src/backend/helpers.cpp
index 2abfd939..dcbcec40 100644
--- a/src/backend/helpers.cpp
+++ b/src/backend/helpers.cpp
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ namespace boss {
         uint32_t chksum = 0;
         static const size_t buffer_size = 8192;
         char buffer[buffer_size];
-        boss::ifstream ifile(filename.string().c_str(), ios::binary);
+        boss::ifstream ifile(filename, ios::binary);
     //    LOG_TRACE("calculating CRC for: '%s'", filename.string().c_str());
         boost::crc_32_type result;
         if (ifile) {
diff --git a/src/backend/streams.h b/src/backend/streams.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8c381e83
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/backend/streams.h
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+/*  BOSS
+
+    A plugin load order optimiser for games that use the esp/esm plugin system.
+
+    Copyright (C) 2012    WrinklyNinja
+
+    This file is part of BOSS.
+
+    BOSS is free software: you can redistribute
+    it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
+    as published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of
+    the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+
+    BOSS 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.  See the
+    GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+    You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+    along with BOSS.  If not, see
+    <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+*/
+
+#include <boost/iostreams/stream.hpp>
+#include <boost/iostreams/device/file_descriptor.hpp>
+
+namespace boss {
+    typedef boost::iostreams::stream< boost::iostreams::file_descriptor_sink > ofstream;
+    typedef boost::iostreams::stream< boost::iostreams::file_descriptor_source > ifstream;
+    typedef boost::iostreams::stream< boost::iostreams::file_descriptor > fstream;
+}
diff --git a/src/gui/editor.cpp b/src/gui/editor.cpp
index 1951222b..d3d03421 100644
--- a/src/gui/editor.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/editor.cpp
@@ -650,7 +650,7 @@ void Editor::OnQuit(wxCommandEvent& event) {
              << YAML::Key << "plugins" << YAML::Value << _editedPlugins
              << YAML::EndMap;
 
-        boss::ofstream out(_userlistPath.c_str());
+        boss::ofstream out(fs::path(_userlistPath));
         out << yout.c_str();
         out.close();
     }
diff --git a/src/gui/main.cpp b/src/gui/main.cpp
index bfebfbb8..7e671bd1 100644
--- a/src/gui/main.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/main.cpp
@@ -377,7 +377,7 @@ void Launcher::OnClose(wxCloseEvent& event) {
     yout.SetIndent(2);
     yout << _settings;
     
-    boss::ofstream out(boss::g_path_settings.string().c_str());
+    boss::ofstream out(boss::g_path_settings);
     out << yout.c_str();
     out.close();
 
@@ -653,7 +653,7 @@ void Launcher::OnSortPlugins(wxCommandEvent& event) {
                  << YAML::Key << "plugins" << YAML::Value << ulist_plugins
                  << YAML::EndMap;
 
-            boss::ofstream uout(_game.UserlistPath().string().c_str());
+            boss::ofstream uout(_game.UserlistPath());
             uout << yout.c_str();
             uout.close();
 
@@ -687,7 +687,7 @@ void Launcher::OnSortPlugins(wxCommandEvent& event) {
     if (fs::exists(_game.ReportPath().string())) {
         BOOST_LOG_TRIVIAL(debug) << "Reading the previous report's details section.";
         //Read the whole file in.
-        boss::ifstream in(_game.ReportPath().string().c_str(), ios::binary);
+        boss::ifstream in(_game.ReportPath(), ios::binary);
         in.seekg(0, std::ios::end);
         oldDetails.resize(in.tellg());
         in.seekg(0, std::ios::beg);