diff --git a/include/pdal/Stage.hpp b/include/pdal/Stage.hpp
index b76eaf6e40..449887181a 100644
--- a/include/pdal/Stage.hpp
+++ b/include/pdal/Stage.hpp
@@ -114,7 +114,6 @@ class PDAL_DLL Stage
     virtual std::string getName() const = 0;
     const std::vector<Stage*>& getInputs() const
         { return m_inputs; }
-    std::vector<Stage *> findStage(std::string name);
     virtual Options getDefaultOptions()
         { return Options(); }
     static Dimension::IdList getDefaultDimensions()
diff --git a/include/pdal/util/FileUtils.hpp b/include/pdal/util/FileUtils.hpp
index 2150ac3550..c2de62afd5 100644
--- a/include/pdal/util/FileUtils.hpp
+++ b/include/pdal/util/FileUtils.hpp
@@ -57,71 +57,63 @@
 namespace pdal
 {
 
-// this is a static class -- do not instantiate]
-class PDAL_DLL FileUtils
+namespace FileUtils
 {
-public:
     // open existing file for reading
-    static std::istream* openFile(std::string const& filename,
-        bool asBinary=true);
+    std::istream* openFile(std::string const& filename, bool asBinary=true);
 
     // open new file for writing
-    static std::ostream* createFile(std::string const& filename,
-        bool asBinary=true);
+    std::ostream* createFile(std::string const& filename, bool asBinary=true);
 
-    static bool directoryExists(std::string const& dirname);
-    static bool createDirectory(std::string const& dirname);
-    static void deleteDirectory(std::string const& dirname);
+    bool directoryExists(std::string const& dirname);
+    bool createDirectory(std::string const& dirname);
+    void deleteDirectory(std::string const& dirname);
 
-    static void closeFile(std::ostream* ofs);
-    static void closeFile(std::istream* ifs);
+    void closeFile(std::ostream* ofs);
+    void closeFile(std::istream* ifs);
 
-    static bool deleteFile(const std::string& filename);
-    static void renameFile(const std::string& dest, const std::string& src);
-    static bool fileExists(const std::string& filename);
-    static uintmax_t fileSize(const std::string& filename);
+    bool deleteFile(const std::string& filename);
+    void renameFile(const std::string& dest, const std::string& src);
+    bool fileExists(const std::string& filename);
+    uintmax_t fileSize(const std::string& filename);
 
     // reads a file into a text string for you
-    static std::string readFileIntoString(const std::string& filename);
+    std::string readFileIntoString(const std::string& filename);
 
     // return current working dir
     // the result will always have a trailing '/'
-    static std::string getcwd();
+    std::string getcwd();
 
     // return the file component of the given path,
     // e.g. "d:/foo/bar/a.c" -> "a.c"
-    static std::string getFilename(const std::string& path);
+    std::string getFilename(const std::string& path);
 
     // return the directory component of the given path,
     // e.g. "d:/foo/bar/a.c" -> "d:/foo/bar"
     // the result will always have a trailing '/'
-    static std::string getDirectory(const std::string& path);
+    std::string getDirectory(const std::string& path);
 
     // returns true iff the path is not relative
-    static bool isAbsolutePath(const std::string& path);
+    bool isAbsolutePath(const std::string& path);
 
     // if the filename is an absolute path, just return it
     // otherwise, make it absolute (relative to current working dir)
     // and return that
-    static std::string toAbsolutePath(const std::string& filename);
+    std::string toAbsolutePath(const std::string& filename);
 
     // if the filename is an absolute path, just return it
     // otherwise, make it absolute (relative to base dir) and return that
     //
     // note: if base dir is not absolute, first make it absolute via
     // toAbsolutePath(base)
-    static std::string toAbsolutePath(const std::string& filename,
+    std::string toAbsolutePath(const std::string& filename,
         const std::string base);
     
-    static std::string readFileAsString(std::string const& filename);
-    static void fileTimes(const std::string& filename, struct tm *createTime,
+    std::string readFileAsString(std::string const& filename);
+    void fileTimes(const std::string& filename, struct tm *createTime,
         struct tm *modTime);
 
-private:
-    static std::string addTrailingSlash(std::string path);
-
-    FileUtils& operator=(const FileUtils&); // not implemented
-    FileUtils(const FileUtils&); // not implemented;
-};
+    std::string extension(const std::string& filename);
+}
 
 } // namespace pdal
diff --git a/src/KernelSupport.cpp b/src/KernelSupport.cpp
index a8340121ca..5b7f9f4172 100644
--- a/src/KernelSupport.cpp
+++ b/src/KernelSupport.cpp
@@ -34,9 +34,6 @@
 
 #include <pdal/KernelSupport.hpp>
 
-#include <boost/filesystem.hpp>
-#include <boost/algorithm/string.hpp>
-
 #include <pdal/util/FileUtils.hpp>
 #include <pdal/PipelineReader.hpp>
 #include <pdal/util/Utils.hpp>
@@ -56,7 +53,7 @@ PipelineManagerPtr KernelSupport::makePipeline(const std::string& inputFile)
         PipelineReader pipeReader(*output);
         pipeReader.readPipeline(std::cin);
     }
-    else if (boost::filesystem::extension(inputFile) == ".xml")
+    else if (FileUtils::extension(inputFile) == ".xml")
     {
         PipelineReader pipeReader(*output);
         pipeReader.readPipeline(inputFile);
@@ -116,13 +113,10 @@ ShellScriptCallback::ShellScriptCallback(
     if (command.size())
     {
         m_command = command[0];
-        if (command.size() == 3)
-        {
-            major_tick = boost::lexical_cast<double>(command[1]);
-            minor_tick = boost::lexical_cast<double>(command[2]);
-        }
-        else if (command.size() == 2)
-            major_tick = boost::lexical_cast<double>(command[1]);
+        if (command.size() > 1)
+            Utils::fromString(command[1], major_tick);
+        if (command.size() > 2)
+            Utils::fromString(command[2], minor_tick);
     }
     PercentageCallback(major_tick, minor_tick);
 }
@@ -138,10 +132,11 @@ void ShellScriptCallback::callback()
         m_done = true;
     else if (currPerc >= m_lastMajorPerc + 10.0)
     {
+        std::ostringstream cmd;
         std::string output;
-        Utils::run_shell_command(m_command + " " +
-            boost::lexical_cast<std::string>(static_cast<int>(currPerc)),
-            output);
+
+        cmd << m_command << " " << (int)currPerc;
+        Utils::run_shell_command(cmd.str(), output);
         m_lastMajorPerc = currPerc;
         m_lastMinorPerc = currPerc;
     }
diff --git a/src/PipelineReader.cpp b/src/PipelineReader.cpp
index 189bddc1a5..a9aeb6f686 100644
--- a/src/PipelineReader.cpp
+++ b/src/PipelineReader.cpp
@@ -41,8 +41,6 @@
 
 #include <boost/property_tree/xml_parser.hpp>
 #include <boost/optional.hpp>
-#include <boost/filesystem.hpp>
-#include <boost/algorithm/string/trim.hpp>
 
 #ifndef _WIN32
 #include <wordexp.h>
@@ -161,7 +159,7 @@ Option PipelineReader::parseElement_Option(const ptree& tree)
 
     std::string name = attrs["name"];
     std::string value = tree.get_value<std::string>();
-    boost::algorithm::trim(value);
+    Utils::trim(value);
     Option option(name, value);
 
     // filenames in the XML are fixed up as follows:
@@ -352,7 +350,7 @@ void PipelineReader::parse_attributes(map_t& attrs, const ptree& tree)
     {
         std::string name = iter->first;
         std::string value = tree.get<std::string>(name);
-        boost::algorithm::trim(value);
+        Utils::trim(value);
 
         attrs[name] = value;
     }
diff --git a/src/PipelineWriter.cpp b/src/PipelineWriter.cpp
index 43b3778414..76a74be193 100644
--- a/src/PipelineWriter.cpp
+++ b/src/PipelineWriter.cpp
@@ -42,8 +42,6 @@
 
 #include <boost/property_tree/xml_parser.hpp>
 #include <boost/optional.hpp>
-#include <boost/foreach.hpp>
-#include <boost/algorithm/string.hpp>
 
 #include <boost/property_tree/xml_parser.hpp>
 #include <boost/property_tree/json_parser.hpp>
@@ -142,7 +140,7 @@ void PipelineWriter::writePipeline(const std::string& filename) const
     const xml_parser::xml_writer_settings<char> settings(' ', 4);
 #endif
 
-    if (boost::iequals(filename, "STDOUT"))
+    if (Utils::iequals(filename, "STDOUT"))
         xml_parser::write_xml(std::cout, tree);
     else
         xml_parser::write_xml(filename, tree, std::locale(), settings);
diff --git a/src/PointView.cpp b/src/PointView.cpp
index b9b7b7cb83..b9bf97b77d 100644
--- a/src/PointView.cpp
+++ b/src/PointView.cpp
@@ -37,8 +37,6 @@
 #include <pdal/PointView.hpp>
 #include <pdal/PointViewIter.hpp>
 
-#include <boost/lexical_cast.hpp>
-
 namespace pdal
 {
 
diff --git a/src/Stage.cpp b/src/Stage.cpp
index a77b0fcaea..171d6f2311 100644
--- a/src/Stage.cpp
+++ b/src/Stage.cpp
@@ -362,27 +362,6 @@ void Stage::setSpatialReference(MetadataNode& m,
     }
 }
 
-std::vector<Stage *> Stage::findStage(std::string name)
-{
-    std::vector<Stage *> output;
-
-    if (boost::iequals(getName(), name))
-        output.push_back(this);
-
-    for (auto const& stage : m_inputs)
-    {
-        if (boost::iequals(stage->getName(), name))
-            output.push_back(stage);
-        if (stage->getInputs().size())
-        {
-            auto hits = stage->findStage(name);
-            if (hits.size())
-                output.insert(output.end(), hits.begin(), hits.end());
-        }
-    }
-
-    return output;
-}
 
 std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& ostr, const Stage& stage)
 {
diff --git a/src/StageFactory.cpp b/src/StageFactory.cpp
index d68e0288b4..daf4d92173 100644
--- a/src/StageFactory.cpp
+++ b/src/StageFactory.cpp
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 
 #include <pdal/StageFactory.hpp>
 #include <pdal/PluginManager.hpp>
+#include <pdal/util/FileUtils.hpp>
 
 // filters
 #include <chipper/ChipperFilter.hpp>
@@ -74,8 +75,6 @@
 #include <text/TextWriter.hpp>
 #include <null/NullWriter.hpp>
 
-#include <boost/filesystem.hpp>
-
 #include <sstream>
 #include <string>
 #include <stdio.h> // for funcptr
@@ -90,7 +89,7 @@ std::string StageFactory::inferReaderDriver(const std::string& filename)
     if (Utils::iequals(http, "http"))
         return "readers.greyhound";
 
-    std::string ext = boost::filesystem::extension(filename);
+    std::string ext = FileUtils::extension(filename);
     std::map<std::string, std::string> drivers;
     drivers["bin"] = "readers.terrasolid";
     drivers["bpf"] = "readers.bpf";
@@ -125,7 +124,7 @@ std::string StageFactory::inferReaderDriver(const std::string& filename)
 
 std::string StageFactory::inferWriterDriver(const std::string& filename)
 {
-    std::string ext = Utils::tolower(boost::filesystem::extension(filename));
+    std::string ext = Utils::tolower(FileUtils::extension(filename));
 
     std::map<std::string, std::string> drivers;
     drivers["bpf"] = "writers.bpf";
@@ -162,7 +161,7 @@ std::string StageFactory::inferWriterDriver(const std::string& filename)
 pdal::Options StageFactory::inferWriterOptionsChanges(
     const std::string& filename)
 {
-    std::string ext = boost::filesystem::extension(filename);
+    std::string ext = FileUtils::extension(filename);
     ext = Utils::tolower(ext);
     Options options;
 
diff --git a/src/util/FileUtils.cpp b/src/util/FileUtils.cpp
index 8c2e9597f0..2a7d5a6dff 100644
--- a/src/util/FileUtils.cpp
+++ b/src/util/FileUtils.cpp
@@ -61,14 +61,24 @@ bool isStdout(std::string filename)
         Utils::toupper(filename) == "STDOUT";
 }
 
+string addTrailingSlash(string path)
+{
+    if (path[path.size() - 1] != '/' && path[path.size() - 1] != '\\')
+        path += "/";
+    return path;
+}
+
 } // unnamed namespace
 
-istream* FileUtils::openFile(string const& filename, bool asBinary)
+namespace FileUtils
+{
+
+istream *openFile(string const& filename, bool asBinary)
 {
     if (isStdin(filename))
         return &cin;
 
-    if (!FileUtils::fileExists(filename))
+    if (!fileExists(filename))
         throw pdal_error(std::string("File '") + filename + "' not found");
 
     ios::openmode mode = ios::in;
@@ -85,7 +95,7 @@ istream* FileUtils::openFile(string const& filename, bool asBinary)
 }
 
 
-ostream* FileUtils::createFile(string const& filename, bool asBinary)
+ostream *createFile(string const& filename, bool asBinary)
 {
     if (isStdout(filename))
         return &cout;
@@ -104,25 +114,24 @@ ostream* FileUtils::createFile(string const& filename, bool asBinary)
 }
 
 
-bool FileUtils::directoryExists(std::string const& dirname)
+bool directoryExists(std::string const& dirname)
 {
     return boost::filesystem::exists(dirname);
-}
+} 
 
-
-bool FileUtils::createDirectory(std::string const& dirname)
+bool createDirectory(std::string const& dirname)
 {
     return boost::filesystem::create_directory(dirname); 
 }
 
 
-void FileUtils::deleteDirectory(std::string const& dirname)
+void deleteDirectory(std::string const& dirname)
 {
     boost::filesystem::remove_all(dirname);
 }
 
 
-void FileUtils::closeFile(ostream *out)
+void closeFile(ostream *out)
 {
     // An ofstream is closeable and deletable, but
     // an ostream like &std::cout isn't.
@@ -137,7 +146,7 @@ void FileUtils::closeFile(ostream *out)
 }
 
 
-void FileUtils::closeFile(istream* in)
+void closeFile(istream* in)
 {
     // An ifstream is closeable and deletable, but
     // an istream like &std::cin isn't.
@@ -152,7 +161,7 @@ void FileUtils::closeFile(istream* in)
 }
 
 
-bool FileUtils::deleteFile(const string& file)
+bool deleteFile(const string& file)
 {
     if (!fileExists(file))
         return false;
@@ -161,13 +170,13 @@ bool FileUtils::deleteFile(const string& file)
 }
 
 
-void FileUtils::renameFile(const string& dest, const string& src)
+void renameFile(const string& dest, const string& src)
 {
     boost::filesystem::rename(src, dest);
 }
 
 
-bool FileUtils::fileExists(const string& name)
+bool fileExists(const string& name)
 {
     // filename may actually be a greyhound uri + pipelineId
     std::string http = name.substr(0, 4);
@@ -180,32 +189,24 @@ bool FileUtils::fileExists(const string& name)
 }
 
 
-uintmax_t FileUtils::fileSize(const string& file)
+uintmax_t fileSize(const string& file)
 {
     return boost::filesystem::file_size(file);
 }
 
 
-string FileUtils::readFileIntoString(const string& filename)
+string readFileIntoString(const string& filename)
 {
-    istream* stream = FileUtils::openFile(filename, false);
+    istream* stream = openFile(filename, false);
     assert(stream);
     string str((istreambuf_iterator<char>(*stream)),
         istreambuf_iterator<char>());
-    FileUtils::closeFile(stream);
+    closeFile(stream);
     return str;
 }
 
 
-string FileUtils::addTrailingSlash(string path)
-{
-    if (path[path.size() - 1] != '/' && path[path.size() - 1] != '\\')
-        path += "/";
-    return path;
-}
-
-
-string FileUtils::getcwd()
+string getcwd()
 {
     const boost::filesystem::path p = boost::filesystem::current_path();
     return addTrailingSlash(p.string());
@@ -214,7 +215,7 @@ string FileUtils::getcwd()
 
 /***
 // Non-boost alternative.  Requires file existence.
-string FileUtils::toAbsolutePath(const string& filename)
+string toAbsolutePath(const string& filename)
 {
     std::string result;
 
@@ -233,7 +234,7 @@ string FileUtils::toAbsolutePath(const string& filename)
 
 // if the filename is an absolute path, just return it
 // otherwise, make it absolute (relative to current working dir) and return that
-string FileUtils::toAbsolutePath(const string& filename)
+string toAbsolutePath(const string& filename)
 {
 
 #if BOOST_VERSION >= 104600 && BOOST_FILESYSTEM_VERSION >= 3
@@ -251,7 +252,7 @@ string FileUtils::toAbsolutePath(const string& filename)
 //
 // note: if base dir is not absolute, first make it absolute via
 // toAbsolutePath(base)
-string FileUtils::toAbsolutePath(const string& filename, const string base)
+string toAbsolutePath(const string& filename, const string base)
 {
     const string newbase = toAbsolutePath(base);
 
@@ -264,7 +265,7 @@ string FileUtils::toAbsolutePath(const string& filename, const string base)
     return p.string();
 }
 
-string FileUtils::getFilename(const string& path)
+string getFilename(const string& path)
 {
 #ifdef _WIN32
     char pathsep = '\\';
@@ -279,7 +280,7 @@ string FileUtils::getFilename(const string& path)
 }
 
 // Get the directory part of a filename.
-string FileUtils::getDirectory(const string& path)
+string getDirectory(const string& path)
 {
     const boost::filesystem::path dir =
          boost::filesystem::path(path).parent_path();
@@ -288,7 +289,7 @@ string FileUtils::getDirectory(const string& path)
 
 
 // Determine if the path is an absolute path
-bool FileUtils::isAbsolutePath(const string& path)
+bool isAbsolutePath(const string& path)
 {
 #if BOOST_VERSION >= 104600 && BOOST_FILESYSTEM_VERSION >= 3
     return boost::filesystem::path(path).is_absolute();
@@ -298,7 +299,7 @@ bool FileUtils::isAbsolutePath(const string& path)
 }
 
 
-void FileUtils::fileTimes(const std::string& filename,
+void fileTimes(const std::string& filename,
     struct tm *createTime, struct tm *modTime)
 {
 #ifdef WIN32
@@ -321,9 +322,9 @@ void FileUtils::fileTimes(const std::string& filename,
 }
 
 
-string FileUtils::readFileAsString(string const& filename)
+string readFileAsString(string const& filename)
 {
-    if (!FileUtils::fileExists(filename))
+    if (!fileExists(filename))
     {
         ostringstream oss;
         oss << filename << " does not exist";
@@ -331,7 +332,7 @@ string FileUtils::readFileAsString(string const& filename)
     }
 
     istream::pos_type size;
-    istream* input = FileUtils::openFile(filename, true);
+    istream* input = openFile(filename, true);
 
     if (input->good())
     {
@@ -351,8 +352,19 @@ string FileUtils::readFileAsString(string const& filename)
         }
         return output;
     }
-    FileUtils::closeFile(input);
+    closeFile(input);
     return string();
 }
 
+std::string extension(const std::string& filename)
+{
+    auto idx = filename.find_last_of('.');
+    if (idx == std::string::npos)
+        return std::string();
+    return filename.substr(idx);   
+}
+
+} // namespace FileUtils
+
 } // namespace pdal
+
diff --git a/src/util/Utils.cpp b/src/util/Utils.cpp
index d1dae07080..28f663bdeb 100644
--- a/src/util/Utils.cpp
+++ b/src/util/Utils.cpp
@@ -32,9 +32,6 @@
 * OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 ****************************************************************************/
 
-#include <boost/algorithm/string/erase.hpp>
-#include <boost/filesystem.hpp>
-
 #include <pdal/util/Utils.hpp>
 
 #include <cassert>
@@ -520,22 +517,6 @@ int Utils::portable_pclose(FILE* fp)
 }
 
 
-// BUG:
-// Under unix, the pclose() operation causes the boost unit test system
-// to produce a fatal error iff the process started by popen returns a
-// nonzero status code.  For this reason, I've put all the "negative"
-// cmd line app tests under #ifdef PDAL_COMPILER_MSVC.
-//
-// This problem shows up on mpg's Ubuntu 11.4 machine (gcc 4.5.2, boost 1.47.0)
-// as well as on Hobu's machine.
-
-// Boost's unit test system has a flag on the execution monitor that catches
-// all signals --  p_catch_system_errors, and throws unittest errors when
-// it sees them. We can use --catch_system_errors=no as part of the invocation,
-// or manually turn them off in the execution monitor. -- hobu 7/12/2012
-//  boost::unit_test::unit_test_monitor.p_catch_system_errors.set (false);
-// #include <boost/test/unit_test_monitor.hpp>
-
 int Utils::run_shell_command(const string& cmd, string& output)
 {
     const int maxbuf = 4096;
@@ -543,7 +524,7 @@ int Utils::run_shell_command(const string& cmd, string& output)
 
     output = "";
 
-    const char* gdal_debug = ::pdal::Utils::getenv("CPL_DEBUG");
+    const char* gdal_debug = Utils::getenv("CPL_DEBUG");
     if (gdal_debug == 0)
     {
         pdal::Utils::putenv("CPL_DEBUG=OFF");
diff --git a/test/unit/FileUtilsTest.cpp b/test/unit/FileUtilsTest.cpp
index 8a40708bfd..16869815b7 100644
--- a/test/unit/FileUtilsTest.cpp
+++ b/test/unit/FileUtilsTest.cpp
@@ -169,3 +169,12 @@ TEST(FileUtilsTest, filename)
     std::string filename = "/foo//bar//baz.c";
     EXPECT_EQ(FileUtils::getFilename(filename), "baz.c");
 }
+
+TEST(FileUtilsTest, extension)
+{
+    EXPECT_EQ(FileUtils::extension("/foo//bar//baz.c"), ".c");
+    EXPECT_EQ(FileUtils::extension("foobar"), "");
+    EXPECT_EQ(FileUtils::extension("/foo/bar"), "");
+    EXPECT_EQ(FileUtils::extension("/fo.o/b.ar.baz23"), ".baz23");
+}
+