diff --git a/Arabica.sln b/Arabica.sln
index 17d87095..e5723f76 100644
--- a/Arabica.sln
+++ b/Arabica.sln
@@ -1,8 +1,4 @@
 Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 7.00
-Project("{8BC9CEB8-8B4A-11D0-8D11-00A0C91BC942}") = "DOM", "DOM\DOM.vcproj", "{AFD0FD18-3D55-4CEC-A242-EA290EBBF171}"
-EndProject
-Project("{8BC9CEB8-8B4A-11D0-8D11-00A0C91BC942}") = "example_SAX2DOMTests", "EXAMPLES\SAX2DOM\SAX2DOM_test.vcproj", "{E5157BA4-96A1-4D7F-B895-8C9A32F26BB5}"
-EndProject
 Project("{8BC9CEB8-8B4A-11D0-8D11-00A0C91BC942}") = "ArabicaLib", "SAX\SAX.vcproj", "{884490E3-E4B3-43BE-A88B-7FA9EA4E16AB}"
 EndProject
 Project("{8BC9CEB8-8B4A-11D0-8D11-00A0C91BC942}") = "example_SAXSimpleHandler", "examples\SAX\SimpleHandler.vcproj", "{16475ED0-2906-429B-9E73-F2BF2929F6E9}"
@@ -21,7 +17,6 @@ Global
 		ConfigName.1 = Release
 	EndGlobalSection
 	GlobalSection(ProjectDependencies) = postSolution
-		{E5157BA4-96A1-4D7F-B895-8C9A32F26BB5}.0 = {884490E3-E4B3-43BE-A88B-7FA9EA4E16AB}
 		{16475ED0-2906-429B-9E73-F2BF2929F6E9}.0 = {884490E3-E4B3-43BE-A88B-7FA9EA4E16AB}
 		{3C6CBC24-07D4-4DE8-A1DF-592C3BC77C56}.0 = {884490E3-E4B3-43BE-A88B-7FA9EA4E16AB}
 		{AE33D6D1-0F57-4E97-90AE-696854C5AE71}.0 = {884490E3-E4B3-43BE-A88B-7FA9EA4E16AB}
@@ -29,14 +24,6 @@ Global
 		{436B423B-BF20-4B2E-A187-604AF391FBE2}.0 = {884490E3-E4B3-43BE-A88B-7FA9EA4E16AB}
 	EndGlobalSection
 	GlobalSection(ProjectConfiguration) = postSolution
-		{AFD0FD18-3D55-4CEC-A242-EA290EBBF171}.Debug.ActiveCfg = Debug|Win32
-		{AFD0FD18-3D55-4CEC-A242-EA290EBBF171}.Debug.Build.0 = Debug|Win32
-		{AFD0FD18-3D55-4CEC-A242-EA290EBBF171}.Release.ActiveCfg = Release|Win32
-		{AFD0FD18-3D55-4CEC-A242-EA290EBBF171}.Release.Build.0 = Release|Win32
-		{E5157BA4-96A1-4D7F-B895-8C9A32F26BB5}.Debug.ActiveCfg = Debug|Win32
-		{E5157BA4-96A1-4D7F-B895-8C9A32F26BB5}.Debug.Build.0 = Debug|Win32
-		{E5157BA4-96A1-4D7F-B895-8C9A32F26BB5}.Release.ActiveCfg = Release|Win32
-		{E5157BA4-96A1-4D7F-B895-8C9A32F26BB5}.Release.Build.0 = Release|Win32
 		{884490E3-E4B3-43BE-A88B-7FA9EA4E16AB}.Debug.ActiveCfg = Debug|Win32
 		{884490E3-E4B3-43BE-A88B-7FA9EA4E16AB}.Debug.Build.0 = Debug|Win32
 		{884490E3-E4B3-43BE-A88B-7FA9EA4E16AB}.Release.ActiveCfg = Release|Win32
diff --git a/Makefile.header b/Makefile.header
index 1be7038a..0220524d 100644
--- a/Makefile.header
+++ b/Makefile.header
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ####################################
 # ARABICA CONFIG
 # edit for your parser choice - may include more than one USE_*
-PARSER_CONFIG = -DUSE_EXPAT 
+PARSER_CONFIG = -DUSE_EXPAT -DARABICA_NO_WCHAR_T
 #PARSER_CONFIG = -DUSE_EXPAT -DUSE_LIBXML2 -DUSE_XERCES -DUSE_GARDEN
 
 ####################################
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ CXX = gcc
 # preprocessor
 CPP = gcc -E
 # linker
-LD = gcc  
+LD =  gcc 
 # archiver
 AR = ar r
 
@@ -39,6 +39,9 @@ LIBS_DIRS =
 STATIC_LIBS =
 DYNAMIC_LIBS =  -lexpat -lstdc++
 
+# you'll only need to change these if you use Cygwin
+EXESUFFIX = .exe
+LIBSUFFIX = .dll
 
 
 
diff --git a/Makefile.rules b/Makefile.rules
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4d22daa3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile.rules
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+##########################################
+# Basic rules
+%.o : %.cpp
+	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) $(INCS_DIRS) -c -o $@ $<
+
diff --git a/SAX/Makefile b/SAX/Makefile
index 592cc4ba..82325050 100644
--- a/SAX/Makefile
+++ b/SAX/Makefile
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@
 
 ######################################
 # ADDITIONAL BUILD FLAGS
-CXXFLAGS += 
-LDFLAGS += -shared
+CXXFLAGS += -I..
+LDFLAGS += -shared 
 
 INC_DIRS +=
 LIBS_DIRS +=
@@ -22,12 +22,6 @@ LIBS_DIRS +=
 STATIC_LIBS +=
 DYNAMIC_LIBS +=
 
-############
-CXXFLAGS += $(INCS_DIRS)
-LDFLAGS += $(LIBS_DIRS)
-LDFLAGS += $(STATIC_LIBS)
-LDFLAGS += $(DYNAMIC_LIBS)
-
 ######################################
 # SOURCE FILES
 SRCS =  saxlib.cpp \
@@ -45,26 +39,16 @@ SRCS =  saxlib.cpp \
 	../Utils/base64codecvt.cpp \
 	../XML/XMLCharacterClasses.cpp
 
-
-
-
-
-
 HDRS = $(patsubst %.c,%.h,$(patsubst %.cpp,%.h,$(SRCS)))
 OBJS = $(patsubst %.c,%.o,$(patsubst %.cpp,%.o,$(SRCS)))
 
 ##########################
 # High level rules
-all : libArabica.so.1 libArabica.a 
+all : libArabica($LIBSUFFIX)
 
-libArabica.so.1 : $(OBJS) 
-	$(LD) $(LDFLAGS) -o $@ $(OBJS)
-	$(COPY) libArabica.so.1 ../bin
-	(cd ../bin; $(REMOVE) libArabica.so; $(LINK) libArabica.so.1 libArabica.so)
-
-libArabica.a : $(OBJS)
-	$(AR) $@ $(OBJS)
-	$(COPY) libArabica.a ../bin
+libArabica($LIBSUFFIX) : $(OBJS)
+	$(LD) $(LDFLAGS) -o libArabica$(LIBSUFFIX) $(OBJS) $(LIBS_DIRS) $(STATIC_LIBS) $(DYNAMIC_LIBS)
+	$(COPY) libArabica$(LIBSUFFIX) ../bin
 
 ######################
 # Compile rules
@@ -80,11 +64,12 @@ ParserConfig.h : Makefile
 ArabicaConfig.h : Makefile
 	$(CPP) $(PARSER_CONFIG) -o ArabicaConfig.h ArabicaConfig.S
 
-%.o : %.cpp
-	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -c -o $@ $<
-
 %.cpp : ArabicaConfig.h ParserConfig.h
 
+Makefile :
+
+-include ../Makefile.rules
+
 #############################################
 # Cleaning up
 clean :
diff --git a/examples/SAX/Makefile b/examples/SAX/Makefile
index 48b1765c..429f0c1c 100644
--- a/examples/SAX/Makefile
+++ b/examples/SAX/Makefile
@@ -9,12 +9,6 @@ LIBS_DIRS += -L../../bin
 STATIC_LIBS +=
 DYNAMIC_LIBS += -lArabica
 
-############
-CXXFLAGS += $(INCS_DIRS)
-LDFLAGS += $(LIBS_DIRS)
-LDFLAGS += $(STATIC_LIBS)
-LDFLAGS += $(DYNAMIC_LIBS)
-
 ######################################
 # SOURCE FILES
 PYX_SRCS = pyx.cpp
@@ -33,27 +27,33 @@ WRITER_OBJS = $(patsubst %.c,%.o,$(patsubst %.cpp,%.o,$(WRITER_SRCS)))
 # High level rules
 all : pyx simple_handler writer
 
-pyx : $(PYX_OBJS)
-	$(LD) $(LDFLAGS) -o $@ $(PYX_OBJS)
-	$(COPY) pyx ../../bin
+pyx$ : $(PYX_OBJS)
+	$(LD) $(LDFLAGS) -o $@ $(PYX_OBJS) $(LIBS_DIRS) $(STATIC_LIBS) $(DYNAMIC_LIBS)
+	$(COPY) pyx$(EXESUFFIX) ../../bin
 
 simple_handler : $(SIMPLE_OBJS)
-	$(LD) $(LDFLAGS) -o $@ $(SIMPLE_OBJS)
-	$(COPY) simple_handler ../../bin
+	$(LD) $(LDFLAGS) -o $@ $(SIMPLE_OBJS) $(LIBS_DIRS) $(STATIC_LIBS) $(DYNAMIC_LIBS)
+	$(COPY) simple_handler$(EXESUFFIX) ../../bin
 
 writer : $(WRITER_OBJS)
-	$(LD) $(LDFLAGS) -o $@ $(WRITER_OBJS)
-	$(COPY) writer ../../bin
+	$(LD) $(LDFLAGS) -o $@ $(WRITER_OBJS) $(LIBS_DIRS) $(STATIC_LIBS) $(DYNAMIC_LIBS)
+	$(COPY) writer$(EXESUFFIX) ../../bin
 
 ######################
 # Compile rules
 ####
-%.o : %.cpp
-	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -c -o $@ $<
+-include ../../Makefile.rules
 
 ######################
 # Cleaning up
 clean :
-	$(REMOVE) *.o core pyx writer simple_handler ../../bin/pyx ../../bin/writer ../../bin/simple_handler
+	$(REMOVE) *.o \
+		core \
+		pyx$(EXESUFFIX) \
+		../../bin/pyx$(EXESUFFIX) \
+		writer$(EXESUFFIX) \
+		../../bin/writer$(EXESUFFIX) \
+		simple_handler$(EXESUFFIX) \
+		../../bin/simple_handler$(EXESUFFIX)
 
 # End of File
diff --git a/examples/SAX/writer.cpp b/examples/SAX/writer.cpp
index ecf2bebe..5ea22257 100644
--- a/examples/SAX/writer.cpp
+++ b/examples/SAX/writer.cpp
@@ -41,19 +41,6 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
     } // for ...
   }
 
-
-  { // wide
-    SAX::XMLReader<std::wstring> parser;
-    SAX::wWriter writer(std::wcout);
-    writer.setParent(parser);
-
-    SAX::wInputSource is;
-    is.setSystemId(L"stdin");
-    is.setByteStream(std::cin);
-
-    writer.parse(is);
-  }
-
   return 0;
 } // main
 
diff --git a/examples/SAX2DOM/Makefile b/examples/SAX2DOM/Makefile
index b012b9c9..8ad2ef77 100644
--- a/examples/SAX2DOM/Makefile
+++ b/examples/SAX2DOM/Makefile
@@ -9,12 +9,6 @@ LIBS_DIRS += -L../../bin
 STATIC_LIBS +=
 DYNAMIC_LIBS += -lArabica
 
-############
-CXXFLAGS += $(INCS_DIRS)
-LDFLAGS += $(LIBS_DIRS)
-LDFLAGS += $(STATIC_LIBS)
-LDFLAGS += $(DYNAMIC_LIBS)
-
 ######################################
 # SOURCE FILES
 SAXDOM_SRCS = main.cpp test_Attribute.cpp test_Document.cpp test_DocumentFragment.cpp test_DocumentType.cpp test_DOMImplementation.cpp test_Element.cpp test_ProcessingInstruction.cpp test_Siblings.cpp test_SAX.cpp
@@ -38,22 +32,28 @@ DOMWRITER_OBJS = $(patsubst %.c,%.o,$(patsubst %.cpp,%.o,$(DOMWRITER_SRCS)))
 all : sax2dom_test domwriter
 
 sax2dom_test : $(SAXDOM_OBJS) $(CPPUNITFW_OBJS) $(CPPUNITUI_OBJS)
-	$(LD) $(LDFLAGS) -o $@ $(SAXDOM_OBJS) $(CPPUNITFW_OBJS) $(CPPUNITUI_OBJS)
-	$(COPY) sax2dom_test ../../bin
+	$(LD) $(LDFLAGS) -o $@ $(SAXDOM_OBJS) $(CPPUNITFW_OBJS) $(CPPUNITUI_OBJS) $(LIBS_DIRS) $(STATIC_LIBS) $(DYNAMIC_LIBS)
+	$(COPY) sax2dom_test$(EXESUFFIX) ../../bin
 
 domwriter : $(DOMWRITER_OBJS)
-	$(LD) $(LDFLAGS)  -o $@ $(DOMWRITER_OBJS)
-	$(COPY) domwriter ../../bin
+	$(LD) $(LDFLAGS)  -o $@ $(DOMWRITER_OBJS) $(LIBS_DIRS) $(STATIC_LIBS) $(DYNAMIC_LIBS)
+	$(COPY) domwriter$(EXESUFFIX) ../../bin
 
 ######################
 # Compile rules
 ####
-%.o : %.cpp
-	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -c -o $@ $<
+-include ../../Makefile.rules
 
 ######################
 # Cleaning up
 clean :
-	$(REMOVE) $(CPPUNITUI_OBJS) $(CPPUNITFW_OBJS) $(SAXDOM_OBJS) $(DOMWRITER_OBJS) core sax2dom_test domwriter ../../bin/sax2dom_test ../../bin/domwriter
+	$(REMOVE) $(CPPUNITUI_OBJS) \
+		$(CPPUNITFW_OBJS) \
+		$(SAXDOM_OBJS) \
+		sax2dom_test$(EXESUFFIX) \
+		 ../../bin/sax2dom_test$(EXESUFFIX) \
+		$(DOMWRITER_OBJS) \
+		domwriter$(EXESUFFIX) \
+		 ../../bin/domwriter
 
 # End of File
diff --git a/examples/Utils/Makefile b/examples/Utils/Makefile
index 71ba2686..1dddb9d1 100644
--- a/examples/Utils/Makefile
+++ b/examples/Utils/Makefile
@@ -9,12 +9,6 @@ LIBS_DIRS += -L../../bin
 STATIC_LIBS +=
 DYNAMIC_LIBS += -lArabica
 
-############
-CXXFLAGS += $(INCS_DIRS)
-LDFLAGS += $(LIBS_DIRS)
-LDFLAGS += $(STATIC_LIBS)
-LDFLAGS += $(DYNAMIC_LIBS)
-
 ######################################
 # SOURCE FILES
 TRANSCODE_SRCS = transcode.cpp
@@ -26,21 +20,22 @@ TRANSCODE_OBJS = $(patsubst %.c,%.o,$(patsubst %.cpp,%.o,$(TRANSCODE_SRCS)))
 all : transcode
 
 transcode : $(TRANSCODE_OBJS)
-	$(LD) $(LDFLAGS) -o $@ $(TRANSCODE_OBJS)
-	$(COPY) transcode ../../bin
+	$(LD) $(LDFLAGS) -o $@ $(TRANSCODE_OBJS) $(LIBS_DIRS) $(STATIC_LIBS) $(DYNAMIC_LIBS)
+	$(COPY) transcode$(EXESUFFIX) ../../bin
 
 
 ######################
 # Compile rules
 ####
-%.o : %.cpp
-	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -c -o $@ $<
+-include ../../Makefile.rules
 
 ######################
 # Cleaning up
 
 clean :
-	$(REMOVE) $(TRANSCODE_OBJS) core transcode ../../bin/transcode
+	$(REMOVE) $(TRANSCODE_OBJS) \
+		transcode$(EXESUFFIX) \
+		../../bin/transcode$(EXESUFFIX)
 
 # End of File
 
diff --git a/examples/Utils/transcode.cpp b/examples/Utils/transcode.cpp
index 6dbb8272..8a505301 100644
--- a/examples/Utils/transcode.cpp
+++ b/examples/Utils/transcode.cpp
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ int main(int argc, const char* argv[])
   oconvert_adaptor<char> oa(std::cout);
 
   ia.imbue(std::locale(ia.getloc(), new base64codecvt()));
-
+  //oa.imbue(std::locale(oa.getloc(), new base64codecvt()));
   while(ia)
   {
     oa << static_cast<char>(ia.get());