diff --git a/extra/io/unix/backend/backend.factor b/extra/io/unix/backend/backend.factor
index 63d2adbdf7..865490b0ce 100755
--- a/extra/io/unix/backend/backend.factor
+++ b/extra/io/unix/backend/backend.factor
@@ -8,8 +8,6 @@ qualified namespaces io.timeouts io.encodings.utf8 accessors ;
 QUALIFIED: io
 IN: io.unix.backend
 
-MIXIN: unix-io
-
 ! I/O tasks
 TUPLE: io-task port callbacks ;
 
@@ -120,7 +118,7 @@ M: integer close-handle ( fd -- )
     [ dup reads>> handle-timeout ]
     [ dup writes>> handle-timeout ] 2bi ;
 
-M: unix-io cancel-io ( port -- )
+M: unix cancel-io ( port -- )
     mx get-global cancel-io-tasks ;
 
 ! Readers
@@ -180,10 +178,10 @@ M: write-task do-io-task
 M: port port-flush ( port -- )
     dup buffer-empty? [ drop ] [ (wait-to-write) ] if ;
 
-M: unix-io io-multiplex ( ms/f -- )
+M: unix io-multiplex ( ms/f -- )
     mx get-global wait-for-events ;
 
-M: unix-io (init-stdio) ( -- )
+M: unix (init-stdio) ( -- )
     0 <reader>
     1 <writer>
     2 <writer> ;
diff --git a/extra/io/unix/bsd/bsd.factor b/extra/io/unix/bsd/bsd.factor
index 89b0757da5..6f6517868e 100755
--- a/extra/io/unix/bsd/bsd.factor
+++ b/extra/io/unix/bsd/bsd.factor
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 IN: io.unix.bsd
 USING: io.backend io.unix.backend io.unix.kqueue io.unix.select
 io.launcher io.unix.launcher namespaces kernel assocs
-threads continuations ;
+threads continuations system ;
 
 ! On Mac OS X, we use select() for the top-level
 ! multiplexer, and we hang a kqueue off of it for process exit
@@ -12,16 +12,12 @@ threads continuations ;
 ! kqueue is buggy with files and ptys so we can't use it as the
 ! main multiplexer.
 
-MIXIN: bsd-io
-
-INSTANCE: bsd-io unix-io
-
-M: bsd-io init-io ( -- )
+M: bsd init-io ( -- )
     <select-mx> mx set-global
     <kqueue-mx> kqueue-mx set-global
     kqueue-mx get-global <mx-port> <mx-task> dup io-task-fd
     2dup mx get-global mx-reads set-at
     mx get-global mx-writes set-at ;
 
-M: bsd-io register-process ( process -- )
+M: bsd register-process ( process -- )
     process-handle kqueue-mx get-global add-pid-task ;
diff --git a/extra/io/unix/files/files.factor b/extra/io/unix/files/files.factor
index 7d0e7c4330..f6bb3edcde 100755
--- a/extra/io/unix/files/files.factor
+++ b/extra/io/unix/files/files.factor
@@ -3,15 +3,15 @@
 USING: io.backend io.nonblocking io.unix.backend io.files io
 unix unix.stat unix.time kernel math continuations
 math.bitfields byte-arrays alien combinators calendar
-io.encodings.binary accessors sequences strings ;
+io.encodings.binary accessors sequences strings system ;
 
 IN: io.unix.files
 
-M: unix-io cwd ( -- path )
+M: unix cwd ( -- path )
     MAXPATHLEN [ <byte-array> ] [ ] bi getcwd
     [ (io-error) ] unless* ;
 
-M: unix-io cd ( path -- )
+M: unix cd ( path -- )
     chdir io-error ;
 
 : read-flags O_RDONLY ; inline
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ M: unix-io cd ( path -- )
 : open-read ( path -- fd )
     O_RDONLY file-mode open dup io-error ;
 
-M: unix-io (file-reader) ( path -- stream )
+M: unix (file-reader) ( path -- stream )
     open-read <reader> ;
 
 : write-flags { O_WRONLY O_CREAT O_TRUNC } flags ; inline
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ M: unix-io (file-reader) ( path -- stream )
 : open-write ( path -- fd )
     write-flags file-mode open dup io-error ;
 
-M: unix-io (file-writer) ( path -- stream )
+M: unix (file-writer) ( path -- stream )
     open-write <writer> ;
 
 : append-flags { O_WRONLY O_APPEND O_CREAT } flags ; inline
@@ -36,28 +36,28 @@ M: unix-io (file-writer) ( path -- stream )
     append-flags file-mode open dup io-error
     [ dup 0 SEEK_END lseek io-error ] [ ] [ close ] cleanup ;
 
-M: unix-io (file-appender) ( path -- stream )
+M: unix (file-appender) ( path -- stream )
     open-append <writer> ;
 
 : touch-mode ( -- n )
     { O_WRONLY O_APPEND O_CREAT O_EXCL } flags ; foldable
 
-M: unix-io touch-file ( path -- )
+M: unix touch-file ( path -- )
     normalize-path
     touch-mode file-mode open
     dup 0 < [ err_no EEXIST = [ err_no io-error ] unless ] when
     close ;
 
-M: unix-io move-file ( from to -- )
+M: unix move-file ( from to -- )
     [ normalize-path ] bi@ rename io-error ;
 
-M: unix-io delete-file ( path -- )
+M: unix delete-file ( path -- )
     normalize-path unlink io-error ;
 
-M: unix-io make-directory ( path -- )
+M: unix make-directory ( path -- )
     normalize-path OCT: 777 mkdir io-error ;
 
-M: unix-io delete-directory ( path -- )
+M: unix delete-directory ( path -- )
     normalize-path rmdir io-error ;
 
 : (copy-file) ( from to -- )
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ M: unix-io delete-directory ( path -- )
         ] with-disposal
     ] with-disposal ;
 
-M: unix-io copy-file ( from to -- )
+M: unix copy-file ( from to -- )
     [ normalize-path ] bi@
     [ (copy-file) ]
     [ swap file-info file-info-permissions chmod io-error ]
@@ -95,16 +95,16 @@ M: unix-io copy-file ( from to -- )
     } cleave
     \ file-info construct-boa ;
 
-M: unix-io file-info ( path -- info )
+M: unix file-info ( path -- info )
     normalize-path stat* stat>file-info ;
 
-M: unix-io link-info ( path -- info )
+M: unix link-info ( path -- info )
     normalize-path lstat* stat>file-info ;
 
-M: unix-io make-link ( path1 path2 -- )
+M: unix make-link ( path1 path2 -- )
     normalize-path symlink io-error ;
 
-M: unix-io read-link ( path -- path' )
+M: unix read-link ( path -- path' )
     normalize-path
     PATH_MAX [ <byte-array> tuck ] [ ] bi readlink
     dup io-error head-slice >string ;
diff --git a/extra/io/unix/files/unique/unique.factor b/extra/io/unix/files/unique/unique.factor
index c5365d8d5c..035e6398ee 100644
--- a/extra/io/unix/files/unique/unique.factor
+++ b/extra/io/unix/files/unique/unique.factor
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 USING: kernel io.nonblocking io.unix.backend math.bitfields
-unix io.files.unique.backend ;
+unix io.files.unique.backend system ;
 IN: io.unix.files.unique
 
 : open-unique-flags ( -- flags )
     { O_RDWR O_CREAT O_EXCL } flags ;
 
-M: unix-io (make-unique-file) ( path -- )
+M: unix (make-unique-file) ( path -- )
     open-unique-flags file-mode open dup io-error close ;
 
-M: unix-io temporary-path ( -- path ) "/tmp" ;
+M: unix temporary-path ( -- path ) "/tmp" ;
diff --git a/extra/io/unix/freebsd/freebsd.factor b/extra/io/unix/freebsd/freebsd.factor
index 65b4a6f0f7..49fbc9af7e 100644
--- a/extra/io/unix/freebsd/freebsd.factor
+++ b/extra/io/unix/freebsd/freebsd.factor
@@ -1,8 +1,3 @@
-IN: io.unix.freebsd
-USING: io.unix.bsd io.backend ;
+USING: io.unix.bsd io.backend system ;
 
-TUPLE: freebsd-io ;
-
-INSTANCE: freebsd-io bsd-io
-
-T{ freebsd-io } set-io-backend
+freebsd set-io-backend
diff --git a/extra/io/unix/launcher/launcher.factor b/extra/io/unix/launcher/launcher.factor
index 4986024e78..8e5531a40c 100755
--- a/extra/io/unix/launcher/launcher.factor
+++ b/extra/io/unix/launcher/launcher.factor
@@ -79,12 +79,12 @@ USE: unix
         (io-error)
     ] [ 255 exit ] recover ;
 
-M: unix-io current-process-handle ( -- handle ) getpid ;
+M: unix current-process-handle ( -- handle ) getpid ;
 
-M: unix-io run-process* ( process -- pid )
+M: unix run-process* ( process -- pid )
     [ spawn-process ] curry [ ] with-fork ;
 
-M: unix-io kill-process* ( pid -- )
+M: unix kill-process* ( pid -- )
     SIGTERM kill io-error ;
 
 : open-pipe ( -- pair )
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ M: unix-io kill-process* ( pid -- )
     2dup first close second close
     >r first 0 dup2 drop r> second 1 dup2 drop ;
 
-M: unix-io (process-stream)
+M: unix (process-stream)
     >r open-pipe open-pipe r>
     [ >r setup-stdio-pipe r> spawn-process ] curry
     [ -rot 2dup second close first close ]
diff --git a/extra/io/unix/linux/linux.factor b/extra/io/unix/linux/linux.factor
index 2ae4065fb6..9f135f2958 100755
--- a/extra/io/unix/linux/linux.factor
+++ b/extra/io/unix/linux/linux.factor
@@ -7,10 +7,6 @@ namespaces threads continuations init math alien.c-types alien
 vocabs.loader accessors ;
 IN: io.unix.linux
 
-TUPLE: linux-io ;
-
-INSTANCE: linux-io unix-io
-
 TUPLE: linux-monitor ;
 
 : <linux-monitor> ( wd -- monitor )
@@ -50,7 +46,7 @@ TUPLE: inotify watches ;
         "inotify is not supported by this Linux release" throw
     ] unless ;
 
-M: linux-io <monitor> ( path recursive? -- monitor )
+M: linux <monitor> ( path recursive? -- monitor )
     check-inotify
     drop IN_CHANGE_EVENTS add-watch ;
 
@@ -116,11 +112,11 @@ TUPLE: inotify-task ;
 M: inotify-task do-io-task ( task -- )
     io-task-port read-notifications f ;
 
-M: linux-io init-io ( -- )
+M: linux init-io ( -- )
     <select-mx>
     [ mx set-global ]
     [ [ init-inotify ] curry ignore-errors ] bi ;
 
-T{ linux-io } set-io-backend
+linux set-io-backend
 
 [ start-wait-thread ] "io.unix.linux" add-init-hook
diff --git a/extra/io/unix/macosx/macosx.factor b/extra/io/unix/macosx/macosx.factor
index bd48fbc9b5..c1c73ea018 100644
--- a/extra/io/unix/macosx/macosx.factor
+++ b/extra/io/unix/macosx/macosx.factor
@@ -1,13 +1,9 @@
-IN: io.unix.macosx
 USING: io.unix.bsd io.backend io.monitors io.monitors.private
 continuations kernel core-foundation.fsevents sequences
-namespaces arrays ;
+namespaces arrays system ;
+IN: io.unix.macosx
 
-TUPLE: macosx-io ;
-
-INSTANCE: macosx-io bsd-io
-
-T{ macosx-io } set-io-backend
+macosx set-io-backend
 
 TUPLE: macosx-monitor ;
 
@@ -16,7 +12,7 @@ TUPLE: macosx-monitor ;
     [ [ first { +modify-file+ } swap changed-file ] each ] bind
     notify-callback ;
 
-M: macosx-io <monitor>
+M: macosx <monitor>
     drop
     f macosx-monitor construct-simple-monitor
     dup [ enqueue-notifications ] curry
diff --git a/extra/io/unix/netbsd/netbsd.factor b/extra/io/unix/netbsd/netbsd.factor
index 3aa8678702..c5771c8ffc 100644
--- a/extra/io/unix/netbsd/netbsd.factor
+++ b/extra/io/unix/netbsd/netbsd.factor
@@ -1,8 +1,3 @@
-IN: io.unix.netbsd
-USING: io.unix.bsd io.backend ;
+USING: io.backend system ;
 
-TUPLE: netbsd-io ;
-
-INSTANCE: netbsd-io bsd-io
-
-T{ netbsd-io } set-io-backend
+netbsd set-io-backend
diff --git a/extra/io/unix/openbsd/openbsd.factor b/extra/io/unix/openbsd/openbsd.factor
index 767861ec75..9b3021646d 100644
--- a/extra/io/unix/openbsd/openbsd.factor
+++ b/extra/io/unix/openbsd/openbsd.factor
@@ -1,8 +1,3 @@
-IN: io.unix.openbsd
-USING: io.unix.bsd io.backend core-foundation.fsevents ;
+USING: io.unix.bsd io.backend core-foundation.fsevents system ;
 
-TUPLE: openbsd-io ;
-
-INSTANCE: openbsd-io bsd-io
-
-T{ openbsd-io } set-io-backend
+openbsd set-io-backend
diff --git a/extra/io/windows/ce/backend/backend.factor b/extra/io/windows/ce/backend/backend.factor
index b8b024d710..a8ff4c14e3 100755
--- a/extra/io/windows/ce/backend/backend.factor
+++ b/extra/io/windows/ce/backend/backend.factor
@@ -7,10 +7,10 @@ IN: io.windows.ce.backend
 : port-errored ( port -- )
     win32-error-string swap set-port-error ;
 
-M: windows-ce-io io-multiplex ( ms -- )
+M: wince io-multiplex ( ms -- )
     60 60 * 1000 * or (sleep) ;
 
-M: windows-ce-io add-completion ( handle -- ) drop ;
+M: wince add-completion ( handle -- ) drop ;
 
 GENERIC: wince-read ( port port-handle -- )
 
@@ -26,14 +26,14 @@ M: port port-flush
         dup dup port-handle wince-write port-flush
     ] if ;
 
-M: windows-ce-io init-io ( -- )
+M: wince init-io ( -- )
     init-winsock ;
 
 LIBRARY: libc
 FUNCTION: void* _getstdfilex int fd ;
 FUNCTION: void* _fileno void* file ;
 
-M: windows-ce-io (init-stdio) ( -- )
+M: wince (init-stdio) ( -- )
     #! We support Windows NT too, to make this I/O backend
     #! easier to debug.
     512 default-buffer-size [
diff --git a/extra/io/windows/ce/ce.factor b/extra/io/windows/ce/ce.factor
index 878f5899f6..a0a8de8513 100755
--- a/extra/io/windows/ce/ce.factor
+++ b/extra/io/windows/ce/ce.factor
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
-USING: io.backend io.windows io.windows.ce.backend
-io.windows.ce.files io.windows.ce.sockets io.windows.ce.launcher
-namespaces io.windows.mmap ;
-IN: io.windows.ce
-
+USE: io.backend
+USE: io.windows
+USE: io.windows.ce.backend
+USE: io.windows.ce.files
+USE: io.windows.ce.sockets
+USE: io.windows.ce.launcher
+USE: io.windows.mmap system
 USE: io.windows.files
-T{ windows-ce-io } set-io-backend
+USE: system
+
+wince set-io-backend
diff --git a/extra/io/windows/ce/files/files.factor b/extra/io/windows/ce/files/files.factor
index 1e5cedae57..8f7390aa7c 100755
--- a/extra/io/windows/ce/files/files.factor
+++ b/extra/io/windows/ce/files/files.factor
@@ -1,15 +1,15 @@
 USING: alien alien.c-types combinators io io.backend io.buffers
 io.files io.nonblocking io.windows kernel libc math namespaces
 prettyprint sequences strings threads threads.private
-windows windows.kernel32 io.windows.ce.backend ;
+windows windows.kernel32 io.windows.ce.backend system ;
 IN: windows.ce.files
 
-! M: windows-ce-io normalize-path ( string -- string )
+! M: wince normalize-path ( string -- string )
     ! dup 1 tail* CHAR: \\ = [ "*" append ] [ "\\*" append ] if ;
 
-M: windows-ce-io CreateFile-flags ( DWORD -- DWORD )
+M: wince CreateFile-flags ( DWORD -- DWORD )
     FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL bitor ;
-M: windows-ce-io FileArgs-overlapped ( port -- f ) drop f ;
+M: wince FileArgs-overlapped ( port -- f ) drop f ;
 
 : finish-read ( port status bytes-ret -- )
     swap [ drop port-errored ] [ swap n>buffer ] if ;
diff --git a/extra/io/windows/ce/sockets/sockets.factor b/extra/io/windows/ce/sockets/sockets.factor
index 9bc583a3d8..0001bb5142 100755
--- a/extra/io/windows/ce/sockets/sockets.factor
+++ b/extra/io/windows/ce/sockets/sockets.factor
@@ -2,11 +2,11 @@ USING: alien alien.c-types combinators io io.backend io.buffers
 io.nonblocking io.sockets io.sockets.impl io.windows kernel libc
 math namespaces prettyprint qualified sequences strings threads
 threads.private windows windows.kernel32 io.windows.ce.backend
-byte-arrays ;
+byte-arrays system ;
 QUALIFIED: windows.winsock
 IN: io.windows.ce
 
-M: windows-ce-io WSASocket-flags ( -- DWORD ) 0 ;
+M: wince WSASocket-flags ( -- DWORD ) 0 ;
 
 M: win32-socket wince-read ( port port-handle -- )
     win32-file-handle over buffer-end pick buffer-capacity 0
@@ -31,15 +31,15 @@ M: win32-socket wince-write ( port port-handle -- )
     windows.winsock:WSAConnect
     windows.winsock:winsock-error!=0/f ;
 
-M: windows-ce-io (client) ( addrspec -- reader writer )
+M: wince (client) ( addrspec -- reader writer )
     do-connect <win32-socket> dup <reader&writer> ;
 
-M: windows-ce-io (server) ( addrspec -- handle )
+M: wince (server) ( addrspec -- handle )
     windows.winsock:SOCK_STREAM server-fd
     dup listen-on-socket
     <win32-socket> ;
 
-M: windows-ce-io (accept) ( server -- client )
+M: wince (accept) ( server -- client )
     [
         dup check-server-port
         [
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ M: windows-ce-io (accept) ( server -- client )
         <win32-socket> <reader&writer>
     ] with-timeout ;
 
-M: windows-ce-io <datagram> ( addrspec -- datagram )
+M: wince <datagram> ( addrspec -- datagram )
     [
         windows.winsock:SOCK_DGRAM server-fd <win32-socket>
     ] keep <datagram-port> ;
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ M: windows-ce-io <datagram> ( addrspec -- datagram )
 
 packet-size <byte-array> receive-buffer set-global
 
-M: windows-ce-io receive ( datagram -- packet addrspec )
+M: wince receive ( datagram -- packet addrspec )
     dup check-datagram-port
     [
         port-handle win32-file-handle
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ M: windows-ce-io receive ( datagram -- packet addrspec )
     dup length receive-buffer rot pick memcpy
     receive-buffer make-WSABUF ;
 
-M: windows-ce-io send ( packet addrspec datagram -- )
+M: wince send ( packet addrspec datagram -- )
     3dup check-datagram-send
     port-handle win32-file-handle
     rot send-WSABUF
diff --git a/extra/io/windows/files/files.factor b/extra/io/windows/files/files.factor
index a23a78b3da..4f31d2dfce 100755
--- a/extra/io/windows/files/files.factor
+++ b/extra/io/windows/files/files.factor
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 USING: alien.c-types io.backend io.files io.windows kernel math
 windows windows.kernel32 windows.time calendar combinators
 math.functions sequences namespaces words symbols
-combinators.lib io.nonblocking destructors ;
+combinators.lib io.nonblocking destructors system ;
 IN: io.windows.files
 
 SYMBOLS: +read-only+ +hidden+ +system+
@@ -88,10 +88,10 @@ SYMBOLS: +read-only+ +hidden+ +system+
         get-file-information BY_HANDLE_FILE_INFORMATION>file-info
     ] if ;
 
-M: windows-nt-io file-info ( path -- info )
+M: winnt file-info ( path -- info )
     normalize-path get-file-information-stat ;
 
-M: windows-nt-io link-info ( path -- info )
+M: winnt link-info ( path -- info )
     file-info ;
 
 : file-times ( path -- timestamp timestamp timestamp )
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ M: windows-nt-io link-info ( path -- info )
 : set-file-write-time ( path timestamp -- )
     >r f f r> set-file-times ;
 
-M: windows-nt-io touch-file ( path -- )
+M: winnt touch-file ( path -- )
     [
         normalize-path
         maybe-create-file over close-always
diff --git a/extra/io/windows/files/unique/unique.factor b/extra/io/windows/files/unique/unique.factor
index 7e7610eb72..0449980286 100644
--- a/extra/io/windows/files/unique/unique.factor
+++ b/extra/io/windows/files/unique/unique.factor
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@ USING: kernel system io.files.unique.backend
 windows.kernel32 io.windows io.nonblocking windows ;
 IN: io.windows.files.unique
 
-M: windows-io (make-unique-file) ( path -- )
+M: windows (make-unique-file) ( path -- )
     GENERIC_WRITE CREATE_NEW 0 open-file
     CloseHandle win32-error=0/f ;
 
-M: windows-io temporary-path ( -- path )
+M: windows temporary-path ( -- path )
     "TEMP" os-env ;
diff --git a/extra/io/windows/launcher/launcher.factor b/extra/io/windows/launcher/launcher.factor
index 3f230a4ac0..2724966a8f 100755
--- a/extra/io/windows/launcher/launcher.factor
+++ b/extra/io/windows/launcher/launcher.factor
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ TUPLE: CreateProcess-args
 
 HOOK: fill-redirection io-backend ( process args -- )
 
-M: windows-ce-io fill-redirection 2drop ;
+M: wince fill-redirection 2drop ;
 
 : make-CreateProcess-args ( process -- args )
     default-CreateProcess-args
@@ -111,10 +111,10 @@ M: windows-ce-io fill-redirection 2drop ;
     fill-startup-info
     nip ;
 
-M: windows-io current-process-handle ( -- handle )
+M: windows current-process-handle ( -- handle )
     GetCurrentProcessId ;
 
-M: windows-io run-process* ( process -- handle )
+M: windows run-process* ( process -- handle )
     [
         dup make-CreateProcess-args
         tuck fill-redirection
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ M: windows-io run-process* ( process -- handle )
         lpProcessInformation>>
     ] with-destructors ;
 
-M: windows-io kill-process* ( handle -- )
+M: windows kill-process* ( handle -- )
     PROCESS_INFORMATION-hProcess
     255 TerminateProcess win32-error=0/f ;
 
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ SYMBOL: wait-flag
     <flag> wait-flag set-global
     [ wait-loop t ] "Process wait" spawn-server drop ;
 
-M: windows-io register-process
+M: windows register-process
     drop wait-flag get-global raise-flag ;
 
 [ start-wait-thread ] "io.windows.launcher" add-init-hook
diff --git a/extra/io/windows/mmap/mmap.factor b/extra/io/windows/mmap/mmap.factor
index d1cafa4c0f..8d3690bbb5 100755
--- a/extra/io/windows/mmap/mmap.factor
+++ b/extra/io/windows/mmap/mmap.factor
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 USING: alien alien.c-types alien.syntax arrays continuations
 destructors generic io.mmap io.nonblocking io.windows
 kernel libc math namespaces quotations sequences windows
-windows.advapi32 windows.kernel32 io.backend ;
+windows.advapi32 windows.kernel32 io.backend system ;
 IN: io.windows.mmap
 
 TYPEDEF: TOKEN_PRIVILEGES* PTOKEN_PRIVILEGES
@@ -53,11 +53,11 @@ TYPEDEF: TOKEN_PRIVILEGES* PTOKEN_PRIVILEGES
 
 HOOK: with-privileges io-backend ( seq quot -- ) inline
 
-M: windows-nt-io with-privileges
+M: winnt with-privileges
     over [ [ t set-privilege ] each ] curry compose
     swap [ [ f set-privilege ] each ] curry [ ] cleanup ;
 
-M: windows-ce-io with-privileges
+M: wince with-privileges
     nip call ;
 
 : mmap-open ( path access-mode create-mode flProtect access -- handle handle address )
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ M: windows-ce-io with-privileges
         dup close-later
     ] with-privileges ;
     
-M: windows-io <mapped-file> ( path length -- mmap )
+M: windows <mapped-file> ( path length -- mmap )
     [
         swap
         GENERIC_WRITE GENERIC_READ bitor
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ M: windows-io <mapped-file> ( path length -- mmap )
         f \ mapped-file construct-boa
     ] with-destructors ;
 
-M: windows-io close-mapped-file ( mapped-file -- )
+M: windows close-mapped-file ( mapped-file -- )
     [
         dup mapped-file-handle [ close-always ] each
         mapped-file-address UnmapViewOfFile win32-error=0/f
diff --git a/extra/io/windows/nt/backend/backend.factor b/extra/io/windows/nt/backend/backend.factor
index dcd13895b2..822973b85b 100755
--- a/extra/io/windows/nt/backend/backend.factor
+++ b/extra/io/windows/nt/backend/backend.factor
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ continuations destructors io io.backend io.nonblocking
 io.windows libc kernel math namespaces sequences
 threads classes.tuple.lib windows windows.errors
 windows.kernel32 strings splitting io.files qualified ascii
-combinators.lib ;
+combinators.lib system ;
 QUALIFIED: windows.winsock
 IN: io.windows.nt.backend
 
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ SYMBOL: master-completion-port
 : <master-completion-port> ( -- handle )
     INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE f <completion-port> ;
 
-M: windows-nt-io add-completion ( handle -- )
+M: winnt add-completion ( handle -- )
     master-completion-port get-global <completion-port> drop ;
 
 : eof? ( error -- ? )
@@ -89,13 +89,13 @@ M: windows-nt-io add-completion ( handle -- )
 : drain-overlapped ( timeout -- )
     handle-overlapped [ 0 drain-overlapped ] unless ;
 
-M: windows-nt-io cancel-io
+M: winnt cancel-io
     port-handle win32-file-handle CancelIo drop ;
 
-M: windows-nt-io io-multiplex ( ms -- )
+M: winnt io-multiplex ( ms -- )
     drain-overlapped ;
 
-M: windows-nt-io init-io ( -- )
+M: winnt init-io ( -- )
     <master-completion-port> master-completion-port set-global
     H{ } clone io-hash set-global
     windows.winsock:init-winsock ;
diff --git a/extra/io/windows/nt/files/files.factor b/extra/io/windows/nt/files/files.factor
index 91ad0139b2..7bac540ddc 100755
--- a/extra/io/windows/nt/files/files.factor
+++ b/extra/io/windows/nt/files/files.factor
@@ -1,22 +1,22 @@
 USING: continuations destructors io.buffers io.files io.backend
 io.timeouts io.nonblocking io.windows io.windows.nt.backend
-kernel libc math threads windows windows.kernel32
+kernel libc math threads windows windows.kernel32 system
 alien.c-types alien.arrays sequences combinators combinators.lib
 sequences.lib ascii splitting alien strings assocs namespaces ;
 IN: io.windows.nt.files
 
-M: windows-nt-io cwd
+M: winnt cwd
     MAX_UNICODE_PATH dup "ushort" <c-array>
     [ GetCurrentDirectory win32-error=0/f ] keep
     alien>u16-string ;
 
-M: windows-nt-io cd
+M: winnt cd
     SetCurrentDirectory win32-error=0/f ;
 
 : unicode-prefix ( -- seq )
     "\\\\?\\" ; inline
 
-M: windows-nt-io root-directory? ( path -- ? )
+M: winnt root-directory? ( path -- ? )
     {
         { [ dup empty? ] [ f ] }
         { [ dup [ path-separator? ] all? ] [ t ] }
@@ -40,15 +40,15 @@ ERROR: not-absolute-path ;
         unicode-prefix prepend
     ] unless ;
 
-M: windows-nt-io normalize-path ( string -- string' )
+M: winnt normalize-path ( string -- string' )
     (normalize-path)
     { { CHAR: / CHAR: \\ } } substitute
     prepend-prefix ;
 
-M: windows-nt-io CreateFile-flags ( DWORD -- DWORD )
+M: winnt CreateFile-flags ( DWORD -- DWORD )
     FILE_FLAG_OVERLAPPED bitor ;
 
-M: windows-nt-io FileArgs-overlapped ( port -- overlapped )
+M: winnt FileArgs-overlapped ( port -- overlapped )
     make-overlapped ;
 
 : update-file-ptr ( n port -- )
diff --git a/extra/io/windows/nt/launcher/launcher.factor b/extra/io/windows/nt/launcher/launcher.factor
index 895890e898..4bbf7c8e32 100755
--- a/extra/io/windows/nt/launcher/launcher.factor
+++ b/extra/io/windows/nt/launcher/launcher.factor
@@ -112,13 +112,13 @@ IN: io.windows.nt.launcher
     dup pipe-out f set-inherit
     >>stdin-pipe ;
 
-M: windows-nt-io fill-redirection ( process args -- )
+M: winnt fill-redirection ( process args -- )
     [ 2dup redirect-stdout ] keep lpStartupInfo>> set-STARTUPINFO-hStdOutput
     [ 2dup redirect-stderr ] keep lpStartupInfo>> set-STARTUPINFO-hStdError
     [ 2dup redirect-stdin  ] keep lpStartupInfo>> set-STARTUPINFO-hStdInput
     2drop ;
 
-M: windows-nt-io (process-stream)
+M: winnt (process-stream)
     [
         dup make-CreateProcess-args
 
diff --git a/extra/io/windows/nt/monitors/monitors.factor b/extra/io/windows/nt/monitors/monitors.factor
index 83e062c3a9..164b529b61 100755
--- a/extra/io/windows/nt/monitors/monitors.factor
+++ b/extra/io/windows/nt/monitors/monitors.factor
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ io.windows.nt.backend kernel math windows windows.kernel32
 windows.types libc assocs alien namespaces continuations
 io.monitors io.monitors.private io.nonblocking io.buffers
 io.files io.timeouts io sequences hashtables sorting arrays
-combinators math.bitfields strings ;
+combinators math.bitfields strings system ;
 IN: io.windows.nt.monitors
 
 : open-directory ( path -- handle )
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ TUPLE: win32-monitor path recursive? ;
         set-delegate
     } win32-monitor construct ;
 
-M: windows-nt-io <monitor> ( path recursive? -- monitor )
+M: winnt <monitor> ( path recursive? -- monitor )
     [
         over open-directory win32-monitor <buffered-port>
         <win32-monitor>
diff --git a/extra/io/windows/nt/nt.factor b/extra/io/windows/nt/nt.factor
index 1baec5658f..33bb3a88b9 100755
--- a/extra/io/windows/nt/nt.factor
+++ b/extra/io/windows/nt/nt.factor
@@ -11,5 +11,6 @@ USE: io.windows.nt.sockets
 USE: io.windows.mmap
 USE: io.windows.files
 USE: io.backend
+USE: system
 
-T{ windows-nt-io } set-io-backend
+winnt set-io-backend
diff --git a/extra/io/windows/nt/sockets/sockets.factor b/extra/io/windows/nt/sockets/sockets.factor
index 85bb34b225..36acaac992 100755
--- a/extra/io/windows/nt/sockets/sockets.factor
+++ b/extra/io/windows/nt/sockets/sockets.factor
@@ -2,13 +2,13 @@ USING: alien alien.accessors alien.c-types byte-arrays
 continuations destructors io.nonblocking io.timeouts io.sockets
 io.sockets.impl io namespaces io.streams.duplex io.windows
 io.windows.nt.backend windows.winsock kernel libc math sequences
-threads classes.tuple.lib ;
+threads classes.tuple.lib system ;
 IN: io.windows.nt.sockets
 
 : malloc-int ( object -- object )
     "int" heap-size malloc tuck 0 set-alien-signed-4 ; inline
 
-M: windows-nt-io WSASocket-flags ( -- DWORD )
+M: winnt WSASocket-flags ( -- DWORD )
     WSA_FLAG_OVERLAPPED ;
 
 : get-ConnectEx-ptr ( socket -- void* )
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ TUPLE: ConnectEx-args port
     2dup save-callback
     get-overlapped-result drop ;
 
-M: windows-nt-io (client) ( addrspec -- client-in client-out )
+M: winnt (client) ( addrspec -- client-in client-out )
     [
         \ ConnectEx-args construct-empty
         over make-sockaddr/size pick init-connect
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ TUPLE: AcceptEx-args port
     [ AcceptEx-args-sAcceptSocket* add-completion ] keep
     AcceptEx-args-sAcceptSocket* <win32-socket> ;
 
-M: windows-nt-io (accept) ( server -- addrspec handle )
+M: winnt (accept) ( server -- addrspec handle )
     [
         [
             dup check-server-port
@@ -131,14 +131,14 @@ M: windows-nt-io (accept) ( server -- addrspec handle )
         ] with-timeout
     ] with-destructors ;
 
-M: windows-nt-io (server) ( addrspec -- handle )
+M: winnt (server) ( addrspec -- handle )
     [
         SOCK_STREAM server-fd dup listen-on-socket
         dup add-completion
         <win32-socket>
     ] with-destructors ;
 
-M: windows-nt-io <datagram> ( addrspec -- datagram )
+M: winnt <datagram> ( addrspec -- datagram )
     [
         [
             SOCK_DGRAM server-fd
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ TUPLE: WSARecvFrom-args port
     [ WSARecvFrom-args-lpFrom* ] keep
     WSARecvFrom-args-port datagram-port-addr parse-sockaddr ;
 
-M: windows-nt-io receive ( datagram -- packet addrspec )
+M: winnt receive ( datagram -- packet addrspec )
     [
         dup check-datagram-port
         \ WSARecvFrom-args construct-empty
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ TUPLE: WSASendTo-args port
 
 USE: io.sockets
 
-M: windows-nt-io send ( packet addrspec datagram -- )
+M: winnt send ( packet addrspec datagram -- )
     [
         3dup check-datagram-send
         \ WSASendTo-args construct-empty
diff --git a/extra/io/windows/windows.factor b/extra/io/windows/windows.factor
index 45c1adaf50..7755f111c6 100755
--- a/extra/io/windows/windows.factor
+++ b/extra/io/windows/windows.factor
@@ -5,16 +5,12 @@ io.buffers io.files io.nonblocking io.sockets io.binary
 io.sockets.impl windows.errors strings io.streams.duplex
 kernel math namespaces sequences windows windows.kernel32
 windows.shell32 windows.types windows.winsock splitting
-continuations math.bitfields ;
+continuations math.bitfields system ;
 IN: io.windows
 
-TUPLE: windows-nt-io ;
-TUPLE: windows-ce-io ;
-UNION: windows-io windows-nt-io windows-ce-io ;
+M: windows destruct-handle CloseHandle drop ;
 
-M: windows-io destruct-handle CloseHandle drop ;
-
-M: windows-io destruct-socket closesocket drop ;
+M: windows destruct-socket closesocket drop ;
 
 TUPLE: win32-file handle ptr ;
 
@@ -24,7 +20,7 @@ HOOK: CreateFile-flags io-backend ( DWORD -- DWORD )
 HOOK: FileArgs-overlapped io-backend ( port -- overlapped/f )
 HOOK: add-completion io-backend ( port -- )
 
-M: windows-io normalize-directory ( string -- string )
+M: windows normalize-directory ( string -- string )
     normalize-path "\\" ?tail drop "\\*" append ;
 
 : share-mode ( -- fixnum )
@@ -125,30 +121,30 @@ C: <FileArgs> FileArgs
     [ FileArgs-lpNumberOfBytesRet ] keep
     FileArgs-lpOverlapped ;
 
-M: windows-io (file-reader) ( path -- stream )
+M: windows (file-reader) ( path -- stream )
     open-read <win32-file> <reader> ;
 
-M: windows-io (file-writer) ( path -- stream )
+M: windows (file-writer) ( path -- stream )
     open-write <win32-file> <writer> ;
 
-M: windows-io (file-appender) ( path -- stream )
+M: windows (file-appender) ( path -- stream )
     open-append <win32-file> <writer> ;
 
-M: windows-io move-file ( from to -- )
+M: windows move-file ( from to -- )
     [ normalize-path ] bi@ MoveFile win32-error=0/f ;
 
-M: windows-io delete-file ( path -- )
+M: windows delete-file ( path -- )
     normalize-path DeleteFile win32-error=0/f ;
 
-M: windows-io copy-file ( from to -- )
+M: windows copy-file ( from to -- )
     dup parent-directory make-directories
     [ normalize-path ] bi@ 0 CopyFile win32-error=0/f ;
 
-M: windows-io make-directory ( path -- )
+M: windows make-directory ( path -- )
     normalize-path
     f CreateDirectory win32-error=0/f ;
 
-M: windows-io delete-directory ( path -- )
+M: windows delete-directory ( path -- )
     normalize-path
     RemoveDirectory win32-error=0/f ;
 
@@ -194,7 +190,7 @@ USE: namespaces
 M: win32-socket dispose ( stream -- )
     win32-file-handle closesocket drop ;
 
-M: windows-io addrinfo-error ( n -- )
+M: windows addrinfo-error ( n -- )
     winsock-return-check ;
 
 : tcp-socket ( addrspec -- socket )