diff --git a/desktop-ui/GNUmakefile b/desktop-ui/GNUmakefile
index 3ea97a3db6..e59401d526 100644
--- a/desktop-ui/GNUmakefile
+++ b/desktop-ui/GNUmakefile
@@ -69,8 +69,8 @@ $(object.path)/desktop-ui-presentation.o: $(desktop-ui.path)/presentation/presen
 $(object.path)/desktop-ui-settings.o: $(desktop-ui.path)/settings/settings.cpp
 $(object.path)/desktop-ui-tools.o: $(desktop-ui.path)/tools/tools.cpp
 
-all.objects := $(libco.objects) $(sljit.objects) $(libchdr.objects) $(tzxfile.objects) $(ymfm.objects) $(nall.objects) $(ruby.objects) $(hiro.objects) $(ares.objects) $(mia.objects) $(desktop-ui.objects)
-all.options := $(libco.options) $(sljit.options) $(libchdr.options) $(tzxfile.options) $(ymfm.options) $(nall.options) $(ruby.options) $(hiro.options) $(ares.options) $(mia.options) $(desktop-ui.options) $(options)
+all.objects :=            $(libco.objects) $(sljit.objects) $(libchdr.objects) $(tzxfile.objects) $(ymfm.objects) $(nall.objects) $(ruby.objects) $(hiro.objects) $(ares.objects) $(mia.objects) $(desktop-ui.objects)
+all.options := $(options) $(libco.options) $(sljit.options) $(libchdr.options) $(tzxfile.options) $(ymfm.options) $(nall.options) $(ruby.options) $(hiro.options) $(ares.options) $(mia.options) $(desktop-ui.options)
 
 $(all.objects): | $(object.path)
 
diff --git a/hiro/GNUmakefile b/hiro/GNUmakefile
index 6fb24dcecf..e3186b892a 100644
--- a/hiro/GNUmakefile
+++ b/hiro/GNUmakefile
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-PKG_CONFIG ?= pkg-config
-
 ifeq ($(platform),windows)
   ifeq ($(hiro),)
     hiro := windows
@@ -15,16 +13,18 @@ ifeq ($(platform),windows)
       $(error hiro does not support static linking against $(hiro) on Windows)
     endif
 
+    hiro.flags = $(flags.cpp) $(if $(findstring g++,$(compiler)),-Wno-deprecated-declarations)
+
     ifeq ($(hiro),gtk2)
-      hiro.flags   = $(flags.cpp) -DHIRO_GTK=2 $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --cflags gtk+-2.0) -Wno-deprecated-declarations
-      hiro.options = $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --libs gtk+-2.0)
+      hiro.flags  += -DHIRO_GTK=2 $(shell $(pkg_config) --cflags gtk+-2.0)
+      hiro.options = $(shell $(pkg_config) --libs gtk+-2.0)
     else ifeq ($(hiro),gtk3)
-      hiro.flags   = $(flags.cpp) -DHIRO_GTK=3 $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --cflags gtk+-3.0) -Wno-deprecated-declarations
-      hiro.options = $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --libs gtk+-3.0)
+      hiro.flags  += -DHIRO_GTK=3 $(shell $(pkg_config) --cflags gtk+-3.0)
+      hiro.options = $(shell $(pkg_config) --libs gtk+-3.0)
     else ifeq ($(hiro),qt5)
-      moc = $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --variable=host_bins Qt5Core)/moc
-      hiro.flags   = $(flags.cpp) -DHIRO_QT=5 $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --cflags Qt5Core Qt5Gui Qt5Widgets) -Wno-deprecated-declarations
-      hiro.options = $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --libs Qt5Core Qt5Gui Qt5Widgets)
+      moc = $(shell $(pkg_config) --variable=host_bins Qt5Core)/moc
+      hiro.flags  += -DHIRO_QT=5 $(shell $(pkg_config) --cflags Qt5Core Qt5Gui Qt5Widgets)
+      hiro.options = $(shell $(pkg_config) --libs Qt5Core Qt5Gui Qt5Widgets)
     else
       $(error unrecognized hiro backend $(hiro))
     endif
@@ -50,27 +50,27 @@ ifneq ($(filter $(platform),linux bsd),)
   endif
 
   ifeq ($(hiro),gtk2)
-    hiro.flags   = $(flags.cpp) -DHIRO_GTK=2 $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --cflags gtk+-2.0) -Wno-deprecated-declarations
-    hiro.options = -L/usr/local/lib -lX11 $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --libs gtk+-2.0)
+    hiro.flags   = $(flags.cpp) -DHIRO_GTK=2 $(shell $(pkg_config) --cflags gtk+-2.0) -Wno-deprecated-declarations
+    hiro.options = -L/usr/local/lib -lX11 $(shell $(pkg_config) --libs gtk+-2.0)
   else ifeq ($(hiro),gtk2-se)
     flags       += -DHiro_SourceEdit
-    hiro.flags   = $(flags.cpp) -DHIRO_GTK=2 $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --cflags gtk+-2.0 gtksourceview-2.0) -Wno-deprecated-declarations
-    hiro.options = -L/usr/local/lib -lX11 $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --libs gtk+-2.0 gtksourceview-2.0)
+    hiro.flags   = $(flags.cpp) -DHIRO_GTK=2 $(shell $(pkg_config) --cflags gtk+-2.0 gtksourceview-2.0) -Wno-deprecated-declarations
+    hiro.options = -L/usr/local/lib -lX11 $(shell $(pkg_config) --libs gtk+-2.0 gtksourceview-2.0)
   else ifeq ($(hiro),gtk3)
-    hiro.flags   = $(flags.cpp) -DHIRO_GTK=3 $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --cflags gtk+-3.0) -Wno-deprecated-declarations
-    hiro.options = -L/usr/local/lib -lX11 $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --libs gtk+-3.0)
+    hiro.flags   = $(flags.cpp) -DHIRO_GTK=3 $(shell $(pkg_config) --cflags gtk+-3.0) -Wno-deprecated-declarations
+    hiro.options = -L/usr/local/lib -lX11 $(shell $(pkg_config) --libs gtk+-3.0)
   else ifeq ($(hiro),gtk3-se)
     flags       += -DHiro_SourceEdit
-    hiro.flags   = $(flags.cpp) -DHIRO_GTK=3 $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --cflags gtk+-3.0 gtksourceview-3.0) -Wno-deprecated-declarations
-    hiro.options = -L/usr/local/lib -lX11 $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --libs gtk+-3.0 gtksourceview-3.0)
+    hiro.flags   = $(flags.cpp) -DHIRO_GTK=3 $(shell $(pkg_config) --cflags gtk+-3.0 gtksourceview-3.0) -Wno-deprecated-declarations
+    hiro.options = -L/usr/local/lib -lX11 $(shell $(pkg_config) --libs gtk+-3.0 gtksourceview-3.0)
   else ifeq ($(hiro),qt4)
     moc = /usr/local/lib/qt4/bin/moc
-    hiro.flags   = $(flags.cpp) -DHIRO_QT=4 $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --cflags QtCore QtGui)
-    hiro.options = -L/usr/local/lib -lX11 $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --libs QtCore QtGui)
+    hiro.flags   = $(flags.cpp) -DHIRO_QT=4 $(shell $(pkg_config) --cflags QtCore QtGui)
+    hiro.options = -L/usr/local/lib -lX11 $(shell $(pkg_config) --libs QtCore QtGui)
   else ifeq ($(hiro),qt5)
-    moc = $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --variable=host_bins Qt5Core)/moc
-    hiro.flags   = $(flags.cpp) -DHIRO_QT=5 -fPIC $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --cflags Qt5Core Qt5Gui Qt5Widgets)
-    hiro.options = -L/usr/local/lib -lX11 $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --libs Qt5Core Qt5Gui Qt5Widgets)
+    moc = $(shell $(pkg_config) --variable=host_bins Qt5Core)/moc
+    hiro.flags   = $(flags.cpp) -DHIRO_QT=5 -fPIC $(shell $(pkg_config) --cflags Qt5Core Qt5Gui Qt5Widgets)
+    hiro.options = -L/usr/local/lib -lX11 $(shell $(pkg_config) --libs Qt5Core Qt5Gui Qt5Widgets)
   else
     $(error unrecognized hiro backend $(hiro))
   endif
diff --git a/hiro/gtk/browser-window.cpp b/hiro/gtk/browser-window.cpp
index 05bc3fae89..df61fa4c07 100644
--- a/hiro/gtk/browser-window.cpp
+++ b/hiro/gtk/browser-window.cpp
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ auto pBrowserWindow::directory(BrowserWindow::State& state) -> string {
   string name;
 
   GtkWidget* dialog = gtk_file_chooser_dialog_new(
-    state.title ? state.title : "Select Directory",
+    state.title ? state.title : "Select Directory"_s,
     state.parent && state.parent->self() ? GTK_WINDOW(state.parent->self()->widget) : (GtkWindow*)nullptr,
     GTK_FILE_CHOOSER_ACTION_SELECT_FOLDER,
     GTK_STOCK_CANCEL, GTK_RESPONSE_CANCEL,
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ auto pBrowserWindow::open(BrowserWindow::State& state) -> string {
   string name;
 
   GtkWidget* dialog = gtk_file_chooser_dialog_new(
-    state.title ? state.title : "Open File",
+    state.title ? state.title : "Open File"_s,
     state.parent && state.parent->self() ? GTK_WINDOW(state.parent->self()->widget) : (GtkWindow*)nullptr,
     GTK_FILE_CHOOSER_ACTION_OPEN,
     GTK_STOCK_CANCEL, GTK_RESPONSE_CANCEL,
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ auto pBrowserWindow::save(BrowserWindow::State& state) -> string {
   string name;
 
   GtkWidget* dialog = gtk_file_chooser_dialog_new(
-    state.title ? state.title : "Save File",
+    state.title ? state.title : "Save File"_s,
     state.parent && state.parent->self() ? GTK_WINDOW(state.parent->self()->widget) : (GtkWindow*)nullptr,
     GTK_FILE_CHOOSER_ACTION_SAVE,
     GTK_STOCK_CANCEL, GTK_RESPONSE_CANCEL,
diff --git a/hiro/gtk/font.cpp b/hiro/gtk/font.cpp
index 88b0fcf909..1355e624f3 100644
--- a/hiro/gtk/font.cpp
+++ b/hiro/gtk/font.cpp
@@ -26,12 +26,12 @@ auto pFont::family(const string& family) -> string {
   if(family == Font::Sans ) return "Tahoma";
   if(family == Font::Serif) return "Georgia";
   if(family == Font::Mono ) return "Lucida Console";
-  return family ? family : "Tahoma";
+  return family ? family : "Tahoma"_s;
   #elif defined(DISPLAY_XORG)
   if(family == Font::Sans ) return "Sans";
   if(family == Font::Serif) return "Serif";
   if(family == Font::Mono ) return "Monospace";
-  return family ? family : "Sans";
+  return family ? family : "Sans"_s;
   #else
   return family;
   #endif
diff --git a/hiro/gtk/window.cpp b/hiro/gtk/window.cpp
index df5ac1e594..70b07a7460 100644
--- a/hiro/gtk/window.cpp
+++ b/hiro/gtk/window.cpp
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ auto pWindow::setResizable(bool resizable) -> void {
 }
 
 auto pWindow::setTitle(const string& title) -> void {
-  gtk_window_set_title(GTK_WINDOW(widget), title ? title : " ");
+  gtk_window_set_title(GTK_WINDOW(widget), title ? title : " "_s);
 }
 
 auto pWindow::setVisible(bool visible) -> void {
diff --git a/hiro/qt/platform.cpp b/hiro/qt/platform.cpp
index 54da308c06..696edccdd3 100644
--- a/hiro/qt/platform.cpp
+++ b/hiro/qt/platform.cpp
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
+#if defined(COMPILER_CLANG)
 #pragma clang diagnostic push
 #pragma clang diagnostic ignored "-Winconsistent-missing-override"
+#endif
 #include "qt.hpp"
 #include "qt.moc"
+#if defined(COMPILER_CLANG)
 #pragma clang diagnostic pop
+#endif
 #include "platform.hpp"
 
 #include "utility.cpp"
diff --git a/hiro/qt/widget/button.cpp b/hiro/qt/widget/button.cpp
index 1bfb50b56d..16833280e5 100644
--- a/hiro/qt/widget/button.cpp
+++ b/hiro/qt/widget/button.cpp
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ auto pButton::destruct() -> void {
 }
 
 auto pButton::minimumSize() const -> Size {
-  auto size = pFont::size(qtWidget->font(), state().text ? state().text : " ");
+  auto size = pFont::size(qtWidget->font(), state().text ? state().text : " "_s);
 
   if(state().orientation == Orientation::Horizontal) {
     size.setWidth(size.width() + state().icon.width());
diff --git a/nall/GNUmakefile b/nall/GNUmakefile
index 46d20141aa..b1dc72b7c5 100644
--- a/nall/GNUmakefile
+++ b/nall/GNUmakefile
@@ -265,7 +265,14 @@ ifeq ($(platform),windows)
     flags += -D_CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS -D_CRT_NONSTDC_NO_WARNINGS
   endif
   options += $(call lib,ws2_32 ole32 shell32 shlwapi advapi32)
-  options += $(if $(findstring g++,$(compiler)),-mthreads $(if $(filter-out true,$(static)),,-static))
+  options += $(if $(findstring g++,$(compiler)),-mthreads)
+  ifeq ($(cl),true)
+    flags += $(if $(filter-out true,$(static)),-MD,-MT)
+  else ifeq ($(msvc),true)
+    flags += -fms-runtime-lib=$(if $(filter-out true,$(static)),dll,static)
+  else
+    options += $(if $(filter-out true,$(static)),,-static)
+  endif
   ifeq ($(console),true)
     flags += -DSUBSYTEM_CONSOLE
     options += $(if $(findstring g++,$(compiler)),-mconsole)
@@ -311,6 +318,22 @@ ifeq ($(threaded),true)
   endif
 endif
 
+# pkg-config/pkgconf detection
+PKG_CONFIG ?= pkg-config
+ifeq ($(shell echo ^^),^)
+  PKG_CONFIG_VERSION := $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --version 2> NUL)
+else
+  PKG_CONFIG_VERSION := $(shell $(PKG_CONFIG) --version 2> /dev/null)
+endif
+
+pkg_config :=
+ifneq ($(PKG_CONFIG_VERSION),)
+  pkg_config := $(PKG_CONFIG)
+  ifeq ($(cl),true)
+    pkg_config += --msvc-syntax
+  endif
+endif
+
 # paths
 ifeq ($(object.path),)
   object.path := obj
diff --git a/ruby/GNUmakefile b/ruby/GNUmakefile
index 5cb17d1d21..5c8c80505a 100644
--- a/ruby/GNUmakefile
+++ b/ruby/GNUmakefile
@@ -7,11 +7,10 @@ ifeq ($(ruby),)
     ruby += audio.wasapi audio.xaudio2 audio.directsound audio.waveout #audio.asio
     ruby += input.windows
 
-  ifeq ($(call which,pkg-config),)
+  ifeq ($(pkg_config),)
     # TODO: Check presence of libSDL
   else
-    # If we're in a posix shell, use pkg-config/pkg-check
-    pkg_check = $(if $(shell pkg-config $1 && echo 1),$2)
+    pkg_check = $(if $(shell $(pkg_config) $1 && echo 1),$2)
     ruby += $(call pkg_check,sdl2,input.sdl)
     ruby += $(call pkg_check,sdl2,audio.sdl)
   endif
@@ -20,7 +19,7 @@ ifeq ($(ruby),)
     ruby += audio.openal
     ruby += input.quartz #input.carbon
   else ifeq ($(platform),linux)
-    pkg_check = $(if $(shell pkg-config $1 && echo 1),$2)
+    pkg_check = $(if $(shell $(pkg_config) $1 && echo 1),$2)
     ruby += video.glx video.glx2 video.xshm
     ruby += $(call pkg_check,xv,video.xvideo)
     ruby += audio.oss audio.alsa
@@ -33,7 +32,7 @@ ifeq ($(ruby),)
     ruby += $(call pkg_check,sdl2,input.sdl)
     ruby += $(call pkg_check,sdl2,audio.sdl)
   else ifeq ($(platform),bsd)
-    pkg_check = $(if $(shell pkg-config $1 && echo 1),$2)
+    pkg_check = $(if $(shell $(pkg_config) $1 && echo 1),$2)
     ruby += video.glx video.glx2 video.xshm
     ruby += $(call pkg_check,xv,video.xvideo)
     ruby += audio.oss
@@ -54,11 +53,11 @@ else
 endif
 
 ruby.flags += $(foreach c,$(subst .,_,$(call strupper,$(ruby))),-D$c)
-ifeq ($(call which,pkg-config),)
+ifeq ($(pkg_config),)
   # TODO: add SDL2 cflags
 else
-  ruby.flags += $(if $(findstring input.sdl,$(ruby)),$(shell pkg-config sdl2 --cflags))
-  ruby.flags += $(if $(findstring audio.sdl,$(ruby)),$(shell pkg-config sdl2 --cflags))
+  ruby.flags += $(if $(findstring input.sdl,$(ruby)),$(shell $(pkg_config) sdl2 --cflags))
+  ruby.flags += $(if $(findstring audio.sdl,$(ruby)),$(shell $(pkg_config) sdl2 --cflags))
 endif
 
 ruby.options :=
@@ -79,15 +78,15 @@ ruby.options += $(if $(findstring audio.waveout,$(ruby)),$(call lib,winmm))
 ruby.options += $(if $(findstring audio.xaudio2,$(ruby)),$(call lib,ole32))
 
 ifeq ($(platform),windows)
-  ifeq ($(call which,pkg-config),)
+  ifeq ($(pkg_config),)
     # TODO: add SDL2 ldflags
   else
-    ruby.options += $(if $(findstring input.sdl,$(ruby)),$(shell pkg-config sdl2 --libs --static))
-    ruby.options += $(if $(findstring audio.sdl,$(ruby)),$(shell pkg-config sdl2 --libs --static))
+    ruby.options += $(if $(findstring input.sdl,$(ruby)),$(shell $(pkg_config) sdl2 --libs --static))
+    ruby.options += $(if $(findstring audio.sdl,$(ruby)),$(shell $(pkg_config) sdl2 --libs --static))
   endif
 else
-  ruby.options += $(if $(findstring input.sdl,$(ruby)),$(shell pkg-config sdl2 --libs))
-  ruby.options += $(if $(findstring audio.sdl,$(ruby)),$(shell pkg-config sdl2 --libs))
+  ruby.options += $(if $(findstring input.sdl,$(ruby)),$(shell $(pkg_config) sdl2 --libs))
+  ruby.options += $(if $(findstring audio.sdl,$(ruby)),$(shell $(pkg_config) sdl2 --libs))
 endif
 
 ruby.options += $(if $(findstring input.udev,$(ruby)),-ludev)