diff --git a/SConscript b/SConscript
index 0229c8e..c99e84f 100644
--- a/SConscript
+++ b/SConscript
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 
 import copy
 import os
+import sys
 
 def _cook(env: Environment, recipe_name: str, *args, **kwargs):
     import importlib.util
@@ -53,6 +54,10 @@ def _rglob(env: Environment, root_path: str, pattern: str, **kwargs):
         result_nodes.extend(env.Glob(f'{path}/{pattern}', **kwargs))
     return sorted(result_nodes)
 
+def _error(env: Environment, message: str):
+    print(message, file=sys.stderr)
+    env.Exit(1)
+
 def _wrap_builder(builder, is_lib: bool = False):
     def _wrapped(env, dependencies = [], *args, **kwargs):
         if 'CPPPATH' not in kwargs:
@@ -219,7 +224,7 @@ tools = ['default', 'compilation_db', 'unity_build']
 if 'TOOLS' in config:
     tools.extend(config['TOOLS'])
 
-env = Environment(tools = tools, variables = vars)
+env = Environment(tools = tools, variables = vars, ENV = os.environ)
 env['RECIPES_FOLDERS'] = [Dir('recipes')]
 env['SYSTEM_CACHE_DIR'] = os.path.join(_find_system_cache_dir(), 'spp_cache')
 env['CLONE_DIR'] = os.path.join(env['SYSTEM_CACHE_DIR'], 'cloned')
@@ -272,7 +277,7 @@ if not os.path.exists(cache_gitignore):
 os.makedirs(env['CLONE_DIR'], exist_ok=True)
 
 # try to detect what compiler we are using
-compiler_exe = os.path.basename(env['CC'])
+compiler_exe = os.path.basename(env.subst(env['CC']))
 if 'gcc' in compiler_exe:
     env['COMPILER_FAMILY'] = 'gcc'
 elif 'clang' in compiler_exe:
@@ -329,10 +334,14 @@ if env['COMPILER_FAMILY'] == 'gcc' or env['COMPILER_FAMILY'] == 'clang':
 elif env['COMPILER_FAMILY'] == 'cl':
     # C4201: nonstandard extension used : nameless struct/union - I use it and want to continue using it
     # C4127: conditional expression is constant - some libs (CRC, format) don't compile with this enabled # TODO: fix?
-    env.Append(CCFLAGS = ['/W4', '/WX', '/wd4201', '/wd4127', f'/std:{config["CXX_STANDARD"]}', '/permissive-', '/EHsc', '/FS', '/Zc:char8_t'])
+    # C4702: unreachable code, issued after MIJIN_FATAL macro
+    # C4251: missing dll-interface of some std types, yaml-cpp doesn't compile with this enabled
+    # C4275: same as above
+    env.Append(CCFLAGS = ['/W4', '/WX', '/wd4201', '/wd4127', '/wd4702', '/wd4251', '/wd4275', '/bigobj', f'/std:{config["CXX_STANDARD"]}', '/permissive-', '/EHsc', '/FS', '/Zc:char8_t'])
     env.Append(CPPDEFINES = ['_CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS']) # I'd like to not use MSVC specific versions of functions because they are "safer" ...
     if build_type == 'debug':
-        env.Append(CCFLAGS = ['/Od', '/Zi'], LINKFLAGS = ' /DEBUG')
+        env.Append(CCFLAGS = ['/Od', '/Zi', '/MDd'], LINKFLAGS = ' /DEBUG')
+        env.Append(CPPDEFINES = ['_DEBUG', '_ITERATOR_DEBUG_LEVEL=2'])
     elif build_type == 'release_debug' or build_type == 'profile':
         env.Append(CCFLAGS = ['/O2', '/Zi'], LINKFLAGS = ' /DEBUG')
     else:
@@ -346,6 +355,7 @@ elif env['COMPILER_FAMILY'] == 'clang':
 env.AddMethod(_cook, 'Cook')
 env.AddMethod(_parse_lib_conf, 'ParseLibConf')
 env.AddMethod(_rglob, 'RGlob')
+env.AddMethod(_error, 'Error')
 env.AddMethod(_wrap_builder(env.Library, is_lib = True), 'Library')
 env.AddMethod(_wrap_builder(env.StaticLibrary, is_lib = True), 'StaticLibrary')
 env.AddMethod(_wrap_builder(env.SharedLibrary, is_lib = True), 'SharedLibrary')
diff --git a/recipes/CMakeProject/recipe.py b/recipes/CMakeProject/recipe.py
index d182c82..2a09d6f 100644
--- a/recipes/CMakeProject/recipe.py
+++ b/recipes/CMakeProject/recipe.py
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 
 import os
 import pathlib
-import subprocess
-import sys
 from SCons.Script import *
 
 _BUILT_STAMPFILE = '.spp_built'
 
+def cmd_quote(s: str) -> str:
+    return f'"{s.replace("\\", "\\\\")}"'
+
 def cook(env: Environment, project_root: str, generate_args: 'list[str]' = [], build_args : 'list[str]' = [], install_args : 'list[str]' = []) -> dict:
     config = env['BUILD_TYPE']
     build_dir = os.path.join(project_root, f'build_{config}')
@@ -21,11 +22,14 @@ def cook(env: Environment, project_root: str, generate_args: 'list[str]' = [], b
             'release': 'Release',
             'profile': 'RelWithDebInfo'
         }.get(env['BUILD_TYPE'], 'RelWithDebInfo')
-        environ = os.environ.copy()
-        environ['CXXFLAGS'] = ' '.join(f'-D{define}' for define in env['CPPDEFINES']) # TODO: who cares about windows?
-        subprocess.run(('cmake', '-G', 'Ninja', '-B', build_dir, f'-DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE={build_type}', f'-DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX={install_dir}', '-DBUILD_TESTING=OFF', *generate_args, project_root), env=environ, stdout=sys.stdout, stderr=sys.stderr, check=True)
-        subprocess.run(('cmake', '--build', *build_args, build_dir), stdout=sys.stdout, stderr=sys.stderr, check=True)
-        subprocess.run(('cmake', '--install', *install_args, build_dir), stdout=sys.stdout, stderr=sys.stderr, check=True)
+        def run_cmd(args):
+            env.Execute(' '.join([str(s) for s in args]))
+        # TODO: is this a problem?
+        # environ = os.environ.copy()
+        # environ['CXXFLAGS'] = ' '.join(f'-D{define}' for define in env['CPPDEFINES']) # TODO: who cares about windows?
+        run_cmd(['cmake', '-G', 'Ninja', '-B', build_dir, f'-DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE={build_type}', f'-DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX={cmd_quote(install_dir)}', '-DBUILD_TESTING=OFF', *generate_args, project_root])
+        run_cmd(['cmake', '--build', *build_args, cmd_quote(build_dir)])
+        run_cmd(['cmake', '--install', *install_args, cmd_quote(build_dir)])
         pathlib.Path(install_dir, _BUILT_STAMPFILE).touch()
 
     return {
diff --git a/recipes/SDL/recipe.py b/recipes/SDL/recipe.py
index 8dad134..070522f 100644
--- a/recipes/SDL/recipe.py
+++ b/recipes/SDL/recipe.py
@@ -1,17 +1,27 @@
 
 import os
+import platform
 from SCons.Script import *
 
 def cook(env: Environment, git_ref: str = "main") -> dict:
     repo = env.Cook('GitBranch', repo_name = 'SDL', remote_url = 'https://github.com/libsdl-org/SDL.git', git_ref = git_ref)
     checkout_root = repo['checkout_root']
     build_result = env.Cook('CMakeProject', project_root=checkout_root, generate_args = ['-DSDL_STATIC=ON', '-DSDL_SHARED=OFF'])
-    lib_name = {
-        'debug': 'SDL2d'
-    }.get(env['BUILD_TYPE'], 'SDL2')
+    libs = []
+    if platform.system() == 'Windows':
+        if env['BUILD_TYPE'] == 'debug':
+            libs.append('SDL2-staticd')
+        else:
+            libs.append('SDL2-static')
+        libs.extend(('kernel32', 'user32', 'gdi32', 'winmm', 'imm32', 'ole32', 'oleaut32', 'version', 'uuid', 'advapi32', 'setupapi', 'shell32', 'dinput8'))
+    else:
+        if env['BUILD_TYPE'] == 'debug':
+            libs.append('SDL2d')
+        else:
+            libs.append('SDL2')
     return {
         'LIBPATH': build_result['LIBPATH'],
         'CPPPATH': [os.path.join(build_result['install_dir'], 'include/SDL2')], # SDL is really weird about include paths ...
-        'LIBS': [lib_name]
+        'LIBS': libs
     }
 
diff --git a/recipes/glslang/recipe.py b/recipes/glslang/recipe.py
index a6262ef..ecb01db 100644
--- a/recipes/glslang/recipe.py
+++ b/recipes/glslang/recipe.py
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import os
 import pathlib
 import platform
 import shutil
-import subprocess
 import sys
 
 _SCRIPT_STAMPFILE = '.spp_script_run'
@@ -21,7 +20,13 @@ def cook(env: Environment, remote: str = 'github', git_ref: str = '') -> dict:
     # TODO: windows?
     did_run_script = os.path.exists(os.path.join(repo['checkout_root'], _SCRIPT_STAMPFILE))
     if not did_run_script or env['UPDATE_REPOSITORIES']:
-        subprocess.run(('/usr/bin/env', 'python3', 'update_glslang_sources.py'), cwd=checkout_root, stdout=sys.stdout, stderr=sys.stderr, check=True)
+        python_exe = os.path.realpath(sys.executable)
+        script_file = os.path.join(repo['checkout_root'], 'update_glslang_sources.py')
+        prev_cwd = os.getcwd()
+        os.chdir(repo['checkout_root'])
+        if env.Execute(f'"{python_exe}" {script_file}'):
+            env.Exit(1)
+        os.chdir(prev_cwd)
         pathlib.Path(repo['checkout_root'], _SCRIPT_STAMPFILE).touch()
 
     # generate the build_info.h
@@ -44,7 +49,7 @@ def cook(env: Environment, remote: str = 'github', git_ref: str = '') -> dict:
                            + env.RGlob(os.path.join(repo['checkout_root'], 'glslang/OGLCompilersDLL/'), '*.cpp') \
                            + env.RGlob(os.path.join(repo['checkout_root'], 'glslang/ResourceLimits/'), '*.cpp') \
                            + env.RGlob(os.path.join(repo['checkout_root'], 'SPIRV/'), '*.cpp') \
-                           + env.RGlob(os.path.join(repo['checkout_root'], f'glslang/OSDependent/{platform_source_dir}/'), '*.cpp')
+                           + [os.path.join(repo['checkout_root'], f'glslang/OSDependent/{platform_source_dir}/ossource.cpp')]
 
     # disable a few warnings when compiling with clang
     additional_cxx_flags = {
diff --git a/recipes/libbacktrace/recipe.py b/recipes/libbacktrace/recipe.py
index 858b849..e8bae96 100644
--- a/recipes/libbacktrace/recipe.py
+++ b/recipes/libbacktrace/recipe.py
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 from SCons.Script import *
 
 def cook(env: Environment, git_ref = 'master') -> dict:
+    if env['COMPILER_FAMILY'] not in ('gcc', 'clang'):
+        env.Error('libbacktrace requires gcc or clang.')
     repo = env.Cook('GitBranch', repo_name = 'libbacktrace', remote_url = 'https://github.com/ianlancetaylor/libbacktrace.git', git_ref = git_ref)
     checkout_root = repo['checkout_root']
     build_result = env.Cook('AutotoolsProject', checkout_root)