diff --git a/lib/graphicsdev/GL.cpp b/lib/graphicsdev/GL.cpp
index 57512f5..b81093d 100644
--- a/lib/graphicsdev/GL.cpp
+++ b/lib/graphicsdev/GL.cpp
@@ -1129,7 +1129,7 @@ struct GLCommandQueue : IGraphicsCommandQueue
     static void RenderingWorker(GLCommandQueue* self)
     {
 #if _WIN32
-        std::string thrName = WCSTMBS(APP->getFriendlyName().c_str()) + " GL Rendering Thread";
+        std::string thrName = WCSTMBS(APP->getFriendlyName().data()) + " GL Rendering Thread";
 #else
         std::string thrName = std::string(APP->getFriendlyName()) + " GL Rendering Thread";
 #endif
diff --git a/lib/inputdev/HIDDeviceWinUSB.cpp b/lib/inputdev/HIDDeviceWinUSB.cpp
index 828213a..913b153 100644
--- a/lib/inputdev/HIDDeviceWinUSB.cpp
+++ b/lib/inputdev/HIDDeviceWinUSB.cpp
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ class HIDDeviceWinUSB final : public IHIDDevice
         std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lk(device->m_initMutex);
 
         /* POSIX.. who needs it?? -MS */
-        device->m_devHandle = CreateFileA(device->m_devPath.c_str(),
+        device->m_devHandle = CreateFileA(device->m_devPath.data(),
                                           GENERIC_WRITE | GENERIC_READ,
                                           FILE_SHARE_WRITE | FILE_SHARE_READ,
                                           NULL,
@@ -85,8 +85,8 @@ class HIDDeviceWinUSB final : public IHIDDevice
         if (INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE == device->m_devHandle)
         {
             _snprintf(errStr, 256, "Unable to open %s@%s: %d\n",
-                      device->m_token.getProductName().c_str(),
-                      device->m_devPath.c_str(), GetLastError());
+                      device->m_token.getProductName().data(),
+                      device->m_devPath.data(), GetLastError());
             device->m_devImp->deviceError(errStr);
             lk.unlock();
             device->m_initCond.notify_one();
@@ -96,8 +96,8 @@ class HIDDeviceWinUSB final : public IHIDDevice
         if (!WinUsb_Initialize(device->m_devHandle, &device->m_usbHandle))
         {
             _snprintf(errStr, 256, "Unable to open %s@%s: %d\n",
-                      device->m_token.getProductName().c_str(),
-                      device->m_devPath.c_str(), GetLastError());
+                      device->m_token.getProductName().data(),
+                      device->m_devPath.data(), GetLastError());
             device->m_devImp->deviceError(errStr);
             lk.unlock();
             device->m_initCond.notify_one();
@@ -110,8 +110,8 @@ class HIDDeviceWinUSB final : public IHIDDevice
         if (!WinUsb_QueryInterfaceSettings(device->m_usbHandle, 0, &ifDesc))
         {
             _snprintf(errStr, 256, "Unable to open %s@%s: %d\n",
-                      device->m_token.getProductName().c_str(),
-                      device->m_devPath.c_str(), GetLastError());
+                      device->m_token.getProductName().data(),
+                      device->m_devPath.data(), GetLastError());
             device->m_devImp->deviceError(errStr);
             lk.unlock();
             device->m_initCond.notify_one();
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ class HIDDeviceWinUSB final : public IHIDDevice
 
         /* POSIX.. who needs it?? -MS */
         device->m_overlapped.hEvent = CreateEvent(nullptr, TRUE, FALSE, nullptr);
-        device->m_hidHandle = CreateFileA(device->m_devPath.c_str(),
+        device->m_hidHandle = CreateFileA(device->m_devPath.data(),
                                           GENERIC_WRITE | GENERIC_READ,
                                           FILE_SHARE_WRITE | FILE_SHARE_READ,
                                           NULL,
@@ -187,8 +187,8 @@ class HIDDeviceWinUSB final : public IHIDDevice
         if (INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE == device->m_hidHandle)
         {
             _snprintf(errStr, 256, "Unable to open %s@%s: %d\n",
-                      device->m_token.getProductName().c_str(),
-                      device->m_devPath.c_str(), GetLastError());
+                      device->m_token.getProductName().data(),
+                      device->m_devPath.data(), GetLastError());
             device->m_devImp->deviceError(errStr);
             lk.unlock();
             device->m_initCond.notify_one();
@@ -198,8 +198,8 @@ class HIDDeviceWinUSB final : public IHIDDevice
         if (!HidD_GetPreparsedData(device->m_hidHandle, &device->m_preparsedData))
         {
             _snprintf(errStr, 256, "Unable get preparsed data of %s@%s: %d\n",
-                      device->m_token.getProductName().c_str(),
-                      device->m_devPath.c_str(), GetLastError());
+                      device->m_token.getProductName().data(),
+                      device->m_devPath.data(), GetLastError());
             device->m_devImp->deviceError(errStr);
             lk.unlock();
             device->m_initCond.notify_one();
diff --git a/lib/win/ApplicationWin32.cpp b/lib/win/ApplicationWin32.cpp
index 532252a..778a55c 100644
--- a/lib/win/ApplicationWin32.cpp
+++ b/lib/win/ApplicationWin32.cpp
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ public:
         int clientReturn = 0;
         std::thread clientThread([&]()
         {
-            std::string thrName = WCSTMBS(getFriendlyName().c_str()) + " Client Thread";
+            std::string thrName = WCSTMBS(getFriendlyName().data()) + " Client Thread";
             logvisor::RegisterThreadName(thrName.c_str());
             CoInitializeEx(nullptr, COINIT_MULTITHREADED | COINIT_DISABLE_OLE1DDE);
             clientReturn = m_callback.appMain(this);
@@ -486,7 +486,7 @@ int ApplicationRun(IApplication::EPlatformType platform,
                    const std::vector<SystemString>& args,
                    bool singleInstance)
 {
-    std::string thrName = WCSTMBS(friendlyName.c_str()) + " Main Thread";
+    std::string thrName = WCSTMBS(friendlyName.data()) + " Main Thread";
     logvisor::RegisterThreadName(thrName.c_str());
     if (APP)
         return 1;
diff --git a/lib/win/WindowWin32.cpp b/lib/win/WindowWin32.cpp
index 3aa98fc..d760499 100644
--- a/lib/win/WindowWin32.cpp
+++ b/lib/win/WindowWin32.cpp
@@ -972,7 +972,7 @@ public:
 
     WindowWin32(SystemStringView title, Boo3DAppContextWin32& b3dCtx, void* vulkanHandle, uint32_t sampleCount)
     {
-        m_hwnd = CreateWindowW(L"BooWindow", title.c_str(), WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW,
+        m_hwnd = CreateWindowW(L"BooWindow", title.data(), WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW,
                                CW_USEDEFAULT, CW_USEDEFAULT, CW_USEDEFAULT, CW_USEDEFAULT,
                                NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL);
         HINSTANCE wndInstance = HINSTANCE(GetWindowLongPtr(m_hwnd, GWLP_HINSTANCE));