diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index dcf42fdaf8..956662fc6a 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@ if(WIN32)
     cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8.0 FATAL_ERROR)   # win32 and win64
 elseif(APPLE)
     cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8.0 FATAL_ERROR)   # OSX
-else(WIN32)
+else()
     cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.6.4 FATAL_ERROR)   # Linux, Unix, and everything else.
-endif(WIN32)
+endif()
 
 # Path to local CMake modules.
 set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/CMakeModules)
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/CMakeModules)
 #
 
 option(USE_PCBNEW_NANOMETRES
-       "Use nanometers for Pcbnew internal units instead of deci-mils (default ON)." ON)
+    "Use nanometers for Pcbnew internal units instead of deci-mils (default ON)." ON)
 
 # Russian GOST patch
 option(wxUSE_UNICODE "enable/disable building unicode (default OFF)")
@@ -31,31 +31,31 @@ option(KICAD_GOST "enable/disable building using GOST notation for multiple gate
 option(KICAD_KEEPCASE "turn-off automatic component name conversion to uppercase if selected")
 
 option(USE_WX_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT
-       "Use wxGraphicsContext for rendering (default OFF). Warning, this is experimental")
+    "Use wxGraphicsContext for rendering (default OFF). Warning, this is experimental")
 
 option(USE_WX_OVERLAY
-       "Use wxOverlay: Always ON for MAC (default OFF). Warning, this is experimental")
+    "Use wxOverlay: Always ON for MAC (default OFF). Warning, this is experimental")
 
 #One of these 2 option *must* be set to ON:
 option(KICAD_STABLE_VERSION
-       "set this option to ON to build the stable version of KICAD. mainly used to set version ID (default OFF)"
-       )
+    "set this option to ON to build the stable version of KICAD. mainly used to set version ID (default OFF)"
+    )
 
 option(KICAD_TESTING_VERSION
-       "set this option to ON to build the stable version of KICAD. mainly used to set version ID (default OFF)"
-       )
+    "set this option to ON to build the stable version of KICAD. mainly used to set version ID (default OFF)"
+    )
 
 option(KICAD_SCRIPTING
-       "set this option ON to build the scripting support inside kicad binaries"
-       )
+    "set this option ON to build the scripting support inside kicad binaries"
+    )
 
 option(KICAD_SCRIPTING_MODULES
-       "set this option ON to build kicad modules that can be used from scripting languages"
-       )
+    "set this option ON to build kicad modules that can be used from scripting languages"
+    )
 
 option(KICAD_SCRIPTING_WXPYTHON
-       "set this option ON to build wxpython implementation for wx interface building in python and py.shell"
-       )
+    "set this option ON to build wxpython implementation for wx interface building in python and py.shell"
+    )
 
 # when option KICAD_SCRIPTING OR KICAD_SCRIPTING_MODULES is enabled:
 # PYTHON_EXECUTABLE can be defined when invoking cmake
@@ -73,10 +73,10 @@ elif(NOT KICAD_STABLE_VERSION AND NOT KICAD_TESTING_VERSION)
 elif(KICAD_STABLE_VERSION)
     add_definitions(-DKICAD_STABLE_VERSION)
     message( "Build stable version of KiCad")
-else(KICAD_STABLE_VERSION AND KICAD_TESTING_VERSION)
+else()
     add_definitions(-DKICAD_TESTING_VERSION)
     message("Build testing (unstable) version of KiCad")
-endif(KICAD_STABLE_VERSION AND KICAD_TESTING_VERSION)
+endif()
 
 
 #================================================
@@ -84,6 +84,13 @@ endif(KICAD_STABLE_VERSION AND KICAD_TESTING_VERSION)
 #================================================
 
 if(CMAKE_COMPILER_IS_GNUCXX)
+
+    # We build DLL/DSOs from static libraries, so create position independent code
+    # for all cases, since we do not have DLL/DSO specific static libraries.
+    # This flag could be localized to any object file going into a DLL/DSO in the future.
+    set( CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -fPIC" )
+    set( CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -fPIC" )
+
     set(KICAD_GCC_RELEASE_BUILD_FLAGS "-O2")
     set(KICAD_GCC_RELEASE_DEBUG_FLAGS "")
 
@@ -111,13 +118,13 @@ if(CMAKE_COMPILER_IS_GNUCXX)
 
     if(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE STREQUAL Debug)
         message(STATUS
-                "Setting GCC version ${GCC_VERSION} build flags \"${KICAD_GCC_DEBUG_BUILD_FLAGS}\"")
-    else(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE STREQUAL Debug)
+            "Setting GCC version ${GCC_VERSION} build flags \"${KICAD_GCC_DEBUG_BUILD_FLAGS}\"")
+    else()
         message(STATUS
-                "Setting GCC version ${GCC_VERSION} build flags \"${KICAD_GCC_RELEASE_BUILD_FLAGS}\"")
-    endif(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE STREQUAL Debug)
+            "Setting GCC version ${GCC_VERSION} build flags \"${KICAD_GCC_RELEASE_BUILD_FLAGS}\"")
+    endif()
 
-    if(WIN32)   # under Windows/mingw,  -fPIC option is enabled by default
+    if(MINGW)   # under Windows/mingw,  -fPIC option is enabled by default
         # Set default flags for Release build.
         set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_RELEASE "-Wall ${KICAD_GCC_RELEASE_BUILD_FLAGS} -DNDEBUG")
         set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_RELEASE "-Wall ${KICAD_GCC_RELEASE_BUILD_FLAGS} -DNDEBUG")
@@ -128,54 +135,54 @@ if(CMAKE_COMPILER_IS_GNUCXX)
         set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_DEBUG "-Wall ${KICAD_GCC_DEBUG_BUILD_FLAGS} -g3 -ggdb3 -DDEBUG")
         set(CMAKE_MODULE_LINKER_FLAGS "-static-libgcc -static-libstdc++") # SWIG macros on Windows
 
-    else(WIN32)
+    else()
         # Thou shalt not link vaporware and tell us it's a valid DSO:
         set(CMAKE_SHARED_LINKER_FLAGS "-Wl,--no-undefined")
         set(CMAKE_MODULE_LINKER_FLAGS "-Wl,--no-undefined") # needed by SWIG macros on linux
 
         # Set default flags for Release build.
-        set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_RELEASE "-Wall ${KICAD_GCC_RELEASE_BUILD_FLAGS} -DNDEBUG -fPIC")
-        set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_RELEASE "-Wall ${KICAD_GCC_RELEASE_BUILD_FLAGS} -DNDEBUG -fPIC")
+        set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_RELEASE "${KICAD_GCC_RELEASE_BUILD_FLAGS} -Wall -DNDEBUG")
+        set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_RELEASE "${KICAD_GCC_RELEASE_BUILD_FLAGS} -Wall -DNDEBUG")
         set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_RELEASE "-s")
 
         # Set default flags for Debug build.
-        set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_DEBUG "-Wall  ${KICAD_GCC_DEBUG_BUILD_FLAGS} -g3 -ggdb3 -DDEBUG -fPIC")
-        set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_DEBUG "-Wall  ${KICAD_GCC_DEBUG_BUILD_FLAGS} -g3 -ggdb3 -DDEBUG -fPIC")
-    endif(WIN32)
+        set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_DEBUG "${KICAD_GCC_DEBUG_BUILD_FLAGS} -Wall  -g3 -ggdb3 -DDEBUG")
+        set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_DEBUG "${KICAD_GCC_DEBUG_BUILD_FLAGS} -Wall -g3 -ggdb3 -DDEBUG")
+    endif()
 
 endif(CMAKE_COMPILER_IS_GNUCXX)
 
 if(wxUSE_UNICODE)
     add_definitions(-DwxUSE_UNICODE)
-endif(wxUSE_UNICODE)
+endif()
 
 if(KICAD_GOST)
     add_definitions(-DKICAD_GOST)
-endif(KICAD_GOST)
+endif()
 
 if(KICAD_KEEPCASE)
     add_definitions(-DKICAD_KEEPCASE)
-endif(KICAD_KEEPCASE)
+endif()
 
 if(USE_WX_OVERLAY OR APPLE)
     add_definitions(-DUSE_WX_OVERLAY)
-endif(USE_WX_OVERLAY OR APPLE)
+endif()
 
 if(KICAD_SCRIPTING)
     add_definitions(-DKICAD_SCRIPTING)
-endif(KICAD_SCRIPTING)
+endif()
 
 if(KICAD_SCRIPTING_MODULES)
     add_definitions(-DKICAD_SCRIPTING_MODULES)
-endif(KICAD_SCRIPTING_MODULES)
+endif()
 
 if(KICAD_SCRIPTING_WXPYTHON)
     add_definitions(-DKICAD_SCRIPTING_WXPYTHON)
-endif(KICAD_SCRIPTING_WXPYTHON)
+endif()
 
 if(USE_WX_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT)
     add_definitions(-DUSE_WX_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT)
-endif(USE_WX_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT)
+endif()
 
 # Allow user to override the default settings for adding images to menu items.  By default
 # images in menu items are enabled on all platforms except OSX.  This can be over ridden by
@@ -183,12 +190,12 @@ endif(USE_WX_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT)
 if(NOT DEFINED USE_IMAGES_IN_MENUS)
     if(NOT APPLE)
         set(USE_IMAGES_IN_MENUS ON)
-    endif(NOT APPLE)
-else(NOT DEFINED USE_IMAGES_IN_MENUS)
+    endif()
+else()
     if(USE_IMAGES_IN_MENUS)
         set(USE_IMAGES_IN_MENUS ON)
-    endif(USE_IMAGES_IN_MENUS)
-endif(NOT DEFINED USE_IMAGES_IN_MENUS)
+    endif()
+endif()
 
 # Locations for install targets.
 set(KICAD_BIN bin
@@ -202,9 +209,9 @@ if(UNIX)
         CACHE PATH "Location of KiCad data files.")
     set(KICAD_DOCS share/doc/kicad
         CACHE PATH "Location of KiCad documentation files.")
-endif(UNIX)
+endif()
 
-if(WIN32)
+if(MINGW)
     # Like all variables, CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX can be over-ridden on the command line.
     set(CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX c:/kicad
         CACHE PATH "")
@@ -215,7 +222,7 @@ if(WIN32)
         CACHE PATH "Location of KiCad data files.")
     set(KICAD_DOCS doc
         CACHE PATH "Location of KiCad documentation files.")
-endif(WIN32)
+endif()
 
 set(KICAD_DEMOS ${KICAD_DATA}/demos
     CACHE PATH "Location of KiCad demo files.")
@@ -223,11 +230,11 @@ set(KICAD_TEMPLATE ${KICAD_DATA}/template
     CACHE PATH "Location of KiCad template files.")
 
 mark_as_advanced(KICAD_BIN
-                 KICAD_PLUGINS
-                 KICAD_DATA
-                 KICAD_DOCS
-                 KICAD_DEMOS
-                 KICAD_TEMPLATE)
+    KICAD_PLUGINS
+    KICAD_DATA
+    KICAD_DOCS
+    KICAD_DEMOS
+    KICAD_TEMPLATE)
 
 include(Functions)
 
@@ -278,10 +285,10 @@ include(PerformFeatureChecks)
 perform_feature_checks()
 
 # Find GDI+ on windows if wxGraphicsContext is available.
-if(WIN32 AND USE_WX_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT)
+if(MINGW AND USE_WX_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT)
     find_package(GdiPlus)
     check_find_package_result(GDI_PLUS_FOUND "GDI+")
-endif(WIN32 AND USE_WX_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT)
+endif()
 
 # Find Python and other scripting resources
 if(KICAD_SCRIPTING OR KICAD_SCRIPTING_MODULES)
@@ -299,8 +306,8 @@ if(KICAD_SCRIPTING OR KICAD_SCRIPTING_MODULES)
 
         if(NOT PYTHON_SITE_PACKAGE_PATH)
             message(FATAL_ERROR "Error occurred while attemping to find the Python site library path.")
-        endif(NOT PYTHON_SITE_PACKAGE_PATH)
-    endif(NOT PYTHON_SITE_PACKAGE_PATH)
+        endif()
+    endif()
 
     set(PYTHON_DEST "${PYTHON_SITE_PACKAGE_PATH}" CACHE PATH "Python module install path.")
     mark_as_advanced(PYTHON_DEST)
@@ -322,7 +329,7 @@ if(EXISTS ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/include/config.h)
     # This directive means the about box will have the svn date & revision in it,
     # but the hard coded release date (program version) will be preserved.
     add_definitions(-DHAVE_SVN_REVISION)
-endif(EXISTS ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/include/config.h)
+endif()
 
 # For include_directories(BEFORE ...), which _reverses_
 # the order during insertion, so put first wanted last, which is
@@ -383,7 +390,7 @@ if(DOXYGEN_FOUND)
         DEPENDS Doxyfile
         COMMENT "building doxygen docs into directory Documentation/doxygen/html"
         )
-else(DOXYGEN_FOUND)
+else()
     message( STATUS "WARNING: Doxygen not found - doxygen-docs (Source Docs) target not created" )
 endif()
 
@@ -404,11 +411,13 @@ add_custom_target(uninstall
 # Installation parameters
 #================================================
 install(FILES INSTALL.txt
-        DESTINATION ${KICAD_DOCS}
-        COMPONENT resources)
+    DESTINATION ${KICAD_DOCS}
+    COMPONENT resources)
+
 install(FILES resources/freeroute.jnlp
-        DESTINATION ${KICAD_BIN}
-        COMPONENT resources)
+    DESTINATION ${KICAD_BIN}
+    COMPONENT resources)
+
 ###
 # Install scripts
 ###
@@ -417,7 +426,8 @@ if(UNIX)
             DESTINATION ${KICAD_DOCS}
             COMPONENT resources
             PATTERN ".svn" EXCLUDE)
-endif(UNIX)
+endif()
+
 ###
 # FreeDesktop .desktop and MIME resources
 ###
@@ -431,27 +441,27 @@ if(UNIX)
 
     # Install Mimelnk directory
     install(DIRECTORY ${UNIX_MIMELNK_FILES}
-            DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/share
-            COMPONENT resources
-            PATTERN ".svn" EXCLUDE)
+        DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/share
+        COMPONENT resources
+        PATTERN ".svn" EXCLUDE)
 
     # Install Mime directory
     install(DIRECTORY ${UNIX_ICONS_FILES}
-            DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/share
-            COMPONENT resources
-            PATTERN ".svn" EXCLUDE)
+        DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/share
+        COMPONENT resources
+        PATTERN ".svn" EXCLUDE)
 
     # Install Icons
     install(DIRECTORY ${UNIX_MIME_FILES}
-            DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/share
-            COMPONENT resources
-            PATTERN ".svn" EXCLUDE)
+        DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/share
+        COMPONENT resources
+        PATTERN ".svn" EXCLUDE)
 
     # Install Applications directory (.desktop files)
     install(DIRECTORY ${UNIX_APPLICATIONS_FILES}
-            DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/share
-            COMPONENT resources
-            PATTERN ".svn" EXCLUDE)
-endif(UNIX)
+        DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/share
+        COMPONENT resources
+        PATTERN ".svn" EXCLUDE)
+endif()
 
 include(CTest)
diff --git a/Documentation/compiling/build-msw.txt b/Documentation/compiling/build-msw.txt
index 60d586f065..12726d569c 100644
--- a/Documentation/compiling/build-msw.txt
+++ b/Documentation/compiling/build-msw.txt
@@ -2,12 +2,13 @@ Introduction
 ------------
 
 This document details how to build KiCad from source on Windows. The current
-supported method of building KiCad on Windows systems is to use MinGW,
-either from MSYS or cross compiling from Linux. Visual Studio is not
-supported, and don't ask about it, it is not supported and will not be.
+supported method of building KiCad for Windows systems is to use the MinGW
+compiler, either from Windows or cross compiling from Linux. MSYS can be
+used on Windows to extend the range of subprojects that you can build, but
+is not needed to build KiCad itself.
 
-If you add or remove any of the KiCad build dependencies, please update this
-document.
+Visual Studio is not supported, and don't ask about it, it is not supported
+and will not be, ever.
 
 Install Build Tools
 -------------------