diff --git a/lib/serialisation/BinaryIO.cc b/lib/serialisation/BinaryIO.cc
index 7133adc0..8ddf3c6c 100644
--- a/lib/serialisation/BinaryIO.cc
+++ b/lib/serialisation/BinaryIO.cc
@@ -28,16 +28,15 @@ Author: paboyle <paboyle@ph.ed.ac.uk>
     /*  END LEGAL */
 #include <Grid/GridCore.h>
 
-using namespace Grid;
-using namespace std;
+NAMESPACE_BEGIN(Grid);
 
 // Writer implementation ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-BinaryWriter::BinaryWriter(const string &fileName)
-: file_(fileName, ios::binary|ios::out)
+BinaryWriter::BinaryWriter(const std::string &fileName)
+: file_(fileName, std::ios::binary|std::ios::out)
 {}
 
 template <>
-void BinaryWriter::writeDefault(const string &s, const string &x)
+void BinaryWriter::writeDefault(const std::string &s, const std::string &x)
 {
     uint64_t sz = x.size();
     
@@ -48,20 +47,20 @@ void BinaryWriter::writeDefault(const string &s, const string &x)
     }
 }
 
-void BinaryWriter::writeDefault(const string &s, const char *x)
+void BinaryWriter::writeDefault(const std::string &s, const char *x)
 {
-  string sx(x);
+  std::string sx(x);
   
   writeDefault(s, sx);
 }
 
 // Reader implementation ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-BinaryReader::BinaryReader(const string &fileName)
-: file_(fileName, ios::binary|ios::in)
+BinaryReader::BinaryReader(const std::string &fileName)
+: file_(fileName, std::ios::binary|std::ios::in)
 {}
 
 template <>
-void BinaryReader::readDefault(const string &s, string &output)
+void BinaryReader::readDefault(const std::string &s, std::string &output)
 {
     uint64_t sz;
   
@@ -69,3 +68,5 @@ void BinaryReader::readDefault(const string &s, string &output)
     output.resize(sz);
     file_.read((char *)output.data(), sz);
 }
+
+NAMESPACE_END(Grid);
diff --git a/lib/serialisation/BinaryIO.h b/lib/serialisation/BinaryIO.h
index 9cc65aa9..2c3ac98f 100644
--- a/lib/serialisation/BinaryIO.h
+++ b/lib/serialisation/BinaryIO.h
@@ -93,15 +93,14 @@ void BinaryWriter::writeDefault(const std::string &s, const std::vector<U> &x)
 }
   
 // Reader template implementation ////////////////////////////////////////////
+template <> void BinaryReader::readDefault(const std::string &s, std::string &output);
+  
 template <typename U>
 void BinaryReader::readDefault(const std::string &s, U &output)
 {
   file_.read((char *)&output, sizeof(U));
 }
   
-template <>
-void BinaryReader::readDefault(const std::string &s, std::string &output);
-  
 template <typename U>
 void BinaryReader::readDefault(const std::string &s, std::vector<U> &output)
 {
diff --git a/lib/serialisation/JSON_IO.cc b/lib/serialisation/JSON_IO.cc
index 6a01aa84..2ca6a499 100644
--- a/lib/serialisation/JSON_IO.cc
+++ b/lib/serialisation/JSON_IO.cc
@@ -27,12 +27,11 @@
     /*  END LEGAL */
 #include <Grid/Grid.h>
 
-using namespace Grid;
-using namespace std;
+NAMESPACE_BEGIN(Grid);
 
 // Writer implementation ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-JSONWriter::JSONWriter(const string &fileName)
-: fileName_(fileName), ss_("{ ", ostringstream::ate){}
+JSONWriter::JSONWriter(const std::string &fileName)
+: fileName_(fileName), ss_("{ ", std::ostringstream::ate){}
 
 JSONWriter::~JSONWriter(void)
 {
@@ -46,7 +45,7 @@ JSONWriter::~JSONWriter(void)
   os << std::setw(2) << json::parse(ss_.str()) << std::endl;
 }
 
-void JSONWriter::push(const string &s)
+void JSONWriter::push(const std::string &s)
 {
   // adding a nested object
   if (s.size())
@@ -74,23 +73,19 @@ void JSONWriter::delete_comma()
 // compiles fine with clang
 // have to wrap in the Grid namespace
 // annoying, but necessary for TravisCI
-namespace Grid
+void JSONWriter::writeDefault(const std::string &s,	const std::string &x)
 {
-  void JSONWriter::writeDefault(const std::string &s,	const std::string &x)
-  {
     //std::cout << "JSONWriter::writeDefault(string) : " << s <<  std::endl;
-    std::ostringstream os;
-    os << std::boolalpha << x;
-    if (s.size())
-      ss_ << "\""<< s << "\" : \"" << os.str() << "\" ," ;
-    else
-     ss_ << os.str() << " ," ;
-  }
-}// namespace Grid 
-
+  std::ostringstream os;
+  os << std::boolalpha << x;
+  if (s.size())
+    ss_ << "\""<< s << "\" : \"" << os.str() << "\" ," ;
+  else
+    ss_ << os.str() << " ," ;
+}
 
 // Reader implementation ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-JSONReader::JSONReader(const string &fileName)
+JSONReader::JSONReader(const std::string &fileName)
 : fileName_(fileName)
 {
   std::ifstream file(fileName_);
@@ -102,7 +97,7 @@ JSONReader::JSONReader(const string &fileName)
   jcur_ = jobject_;
 }
 
-bool JSONReader::push(const string &s)
+bool JSONReader::push(const std::string &s)
 {
   if (s.size()){
     jold_.push_back(jcur_);
@@ -152,14 +147,14 @@ bool JSONReader::nextElement(const std::string &s)
   //}
 
   jcur_ = *it_; 
-  //cout << "JSONReader::nextElement(string) : " << s << " : "<< jcur_ << endl;
+  //cout << "JSONReader::nextElement(std::string) : " << s << " : "<< jcur_ << endl;
   //return true;
 
     return false;
 }
 
 template <>
-void JSONReader::readDefault(const string &s, string &output)
+void JSONReader::readDefault(const std::string &s, std::string &output)
 {
   //cout << "JSONReader::readDefault(string) : " << s<< " " << jcur_ << endl;
   if (s.size()){
@@ -172,3 +167,4 @@ void JSONReader::readDefault(const string &s, string &output)
     output = jcur_;    
   }
 }
+NAMESPACE_END(Grid);
diff --git a/lib/serialisation/MacroMagic.h b/lib/serialisation/MacroMagic.h
index 5df2c780..279c1db5 100644
--- a/lib/serialisation/MacroMagic.h
+++ b/lib/serialisation/MacroMagic.h
@@ -42,8 +42,6 @@ THE SOFTWARE.
 */
 ///////////////////////////////////////////
 
-#define strong_inline __attribute__((always_inline)) inline
-
 #ifndef MAX
 #define MAX(x,y) ((x)>(y)?(x):(y))
 #define MIN(x,y) ((x)>(y)?(y):(x))
diff --git a/lib/serialisation/TextIO.cc b/lib/serialisation/TextIO.cc
index 5e27dfbc..4e71adf6 100644
--- a/lib/serialisation/TextIO.cc
+++ b/lib/serialisation/TextIO.cc
@@ -29,18 +29,16 @@
     /*  END LEGAL */
 #include <Grid/GridCore.h>
 
-using namespace Grid;
-using namespace std;
+//using namespace Grid;
+//using namespace std;
 
 #define GRID_TEXT_INDENT 2      //number of spaces for indentation of levels
 
+NAMESPACE_BEGIN(Grid);
 
 // Writer implementation ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-TextWriter::TextWriter(const string &fileName)
-: file_(fileName, ios::out)
-{}
 
-void TextWriter::push(const string &s)
+void TextWriter::push(const std::string &s)
 {
   level_++;
 };
@@ -58,16 +56,16 @@ void TextWriter::indent(void)
 };
 
 // Reader implementation ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-TextReader::TextReader(const string &fileName) 
+TextReader::TextReader(const std::string &fileName) 
 {
-    file_.open(fileName, ios::in);
+  file_.open(fileName, std::ios::in);
     if (!file_.is_open()) {
         std::cout << GridLogMessage << "TextReader: Error opening file " << fileName << std::endl;
         exit(1);// write better error handling
     } 
 }
 
-bool TextReader::push(const string &s)
+bool TextReader::push(const std::string &s)
 {
   level_++;
   return true;
@@ -91,7 +89,7 @@ void TextReader::checkIndent(void)
   }
     if (!check)
     {
-      cerr << "TextReader: mismatch on level " << level_ << std::endl;
+      std::cerr << "TextReader: mismatch on level " << level_ << std::endl;
       exit(1);
     }
   }
@@ -100,7 +98,9 @@ void TextReader::checkIndent(void)
 template <>
 void TextReader::readDefault(const std::string &s, std::string &output)
 {
-    checkIndent();
-    output.clear();
-    getline(file_, output);
+  checkIndent();
+  output.clear();
+  getline(file_, output);
 }
+
+NAMESPACE_END(Grid);
diff --git a/lib/serialisation/TextIO.h b/lib/serialisation/TextIO.h
index ada1aaf6..dd788d84 100644
--- a/lib/serialisation/TextIO.h
+++ b/lib/serialisation/TextIO.h
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ namespace Grid
   class TextWriter: public Writer<TextWriter>
   {
   public:
-    TextWriter(const std::string &fileName);
+    TextWriter(const std::string &fileName) : file_(fileName, std::ios::out) {};
     virtual ~TextWriter(void) = default;
     void push(const std::string &s);
     void pop(void);
@@ -65,10 +65,8 @@ namespace Grid
     virtual ~TextReader(void) = default;
     bool push(const std::string &s);
     void pop(void);
-    template <typename U>
-    void readDefault(const std::string &s, U &output);
-    template <typename U>
-    void readDefault(const std::string &s, std::vector<U> &output);
+    template <typename U>  void readDefault(const std::string &s, U &output);
+    template <typename U>  void readDefault(const std::string &s, std::vector<U> &output);
   private:
     void checkIndent(void);
   private:
@@ -97,6 +95,8 @@ namespace Grid
   }
   
   // Reader template implementation ////////////////////////////////////////////
+  template <>  void TextReader::readDefault(const std::string &s, std::string &output);
+
   template <typename U>
   void TextReader::readDefault(const std::string &s, U &output)
   {
@@ -106,8 +106,6 @@ namespace Grid
     fromString(output, buf);
   }
   
-  template <>
-  void TextReader::readDefault(const std::string &s, std::string &output);
   
   template <typename U>
   void TextReader::readDefault(const std::string &s, std::vector<U> &output)
diff --git a/lib/serialisation/XmlIO.cc b/lib/serialisation/XmlIO.cc
index 8ac7422c..6db9439a 100644
--- a/lib/serialisation/XmlIO.cc
+++ b/lib/serialisation/XmlIO.cc
@@ -28,11 +28,13 @@ Author: paboyle <paboyle@ph.ed.ac.uk>
     /*  END LEGAL */
 #include <Grid/GridCore.h>
 
-using namespace Grid;
-using namespace std;
+//using namespace Grid;
+//using namespace std;
+
+NAMESPACE_BEGIN(Grid);
 
 // Writer implementation ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-XmlWriter::XmlWriter(const string &fileName, string toplev) : fileName_(fileName)
+XmlWriter::XmlWriter(const std::string &fileName, std::string toplev) : fileName_(fileName)
 {
   if ( toplev == std::string("") ) {
     node_=doc_;
@@ -49,7 +51,7 @@ XmlWriter::~XmlWriter(void)
   }
 }
 
-void XmlWriter::push(const string &s)
+void XmlWriter::push(const std::string &s)
 {
   node_ = node_.append_child(s.c_str());
 }
@@ -65,14 +67,14 @@ std::string XmlWriter::XmlString(void)
   return oss.str();
 }
 
-XmlReader::XmlReader(const char *xmlstring,string toplev) : fileName_("")
+XmlReader::XmlReader(const char *xmlstring,std::string toplev) : fileName_("")
 {
   pugi::xml_parse_result result;
   result = doc_.load_string(xmlstring);
   if ( !result ) {
-    cerr << "XML error description (from char *): " << result.description() << "\nXML\n"<< xmlstring << "\n";
-    cerr << "XML error offset      (from char *) " << result.offset         << "\nXML\n"<< xmlstring <<"\n";
-    abort();
+    std::cerr << "XML error description (from char *): " << result.description() << "\nXML\n"<< xmlstring << "\n";
+    std::cerr << "XML error offset      (from char *) " << result.offset         << "\nXML\n"<< xmlstring <<"\n";
+    std::abort();
   }
   if ( toplev == std::string("") ) {
     node_ = doc_;
@@ -82,14 +84,14 @@ XmlReader::XmlReader(const char *xmlstring,string toplev) : fileName_("")
 }
 
 // Reader implementation ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-XmlReader::XmlReader(const string &fileName,string toplev) : fileName_(fileName)
+XmlReader::XmlReader(const std::string &fileName,std::string toplev) : fileName_(fileName)
 {
   pugi::xml_parse_result result;
   result = doc_.load_file(fileName_.c_str());
   if ( !result ) {
-    cerr << "XML error description: " << result.description() <<" "<< fileName_ <<"\n";
-    cerr << "XML error offset     : " << result.offset        <<" "<< fileName_ <<"\n";
-    abort();
+    std::cerr << "XML error description: " << result.description() <<" "<< fileName_ <<"\n";
+    std::cerr << "XML error offset     : " << result.offset        <<" "<< fileName_ <<"\n";
+    std::abort();
   }
   if ( toplev == std::string("") ) {
     node_ = doc_;
@@ -98,7 +100,7 @@ XmlReader::XmlReader(const string &fileName,string toplev) : fileName_(fileName)
   }
 }
 
-bool XmlReader::push(const string &s)
+bool XmlReader::push(const std::string &s)
 {
   if (node_.child(s.c_str()))
   {
@@ -133,7 +135,7 @@ bool XmlReader::nextElement(const std::string &s)
 }
 
 template <>
-void XmlReader::readDefault(const string &s, string &output)
+void XmlReader::readDefault(const std::string &s, std::string &output)
 {
   if (node_.child(s.c_str()))
   {
@@ -147,3 +149,4 @@ void XmlReader::readDefault(const string &s, string &output)
     output = ""; 
   }
 }
+NAMESPACE_END(Grid);
diff --git a/lib/serialisation/XmlIO.h b/lib/serialisation/XmlIO.h
index e37eb8d9..b1d84fbf 100644
--- a/lib/serialisation/XmlIO.h
+++ b/lib/serialisation/XmlIO.h
@@ -73,8 +73,7 @@ namespace Grid
     bool nextElement(const std::string &s);
     template <typename U>
     void readDefault(const std::string &s, U &output);
-    template <typename U>
-    void readDefault(const std::string &s, std::vector<U> &output);
+    template <typename U>    void readDefault(const std::string &s, std::vector<U> &output);
   private:
     pugi::xml_document doc_;
     pugi::xml_node     node_;
@@ -114,6 +113,7 @@ namespace Grid
   }
   
   // Reader template implementation ////////////////////////////////////////////
+  template <> void XmlReader::readDefault(const std::string &s, std::string &output);
   template <typename U>
   void XmlReader::readDefault(const std::string &s, U &output)
   {
@@ -123,9 +123,6 @@ namespace Grid
     fromString(output, buf);
   }
   
-  template <>
-  void XmlReader::readDefault(const std::string &s, std::string &output);
-  
   template <typename U>
   void XmlReader::readDefault(const std::string &s, std::vector<U> &output)
   {