diff --git a/stepmania/src/EnumHelper.h b/stepmania/src/EnumHelper.h
index c091975476..ef4655bea4 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/EnumHelper.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/EnumHelper.h
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ const RString &EnumToString( int iVal, int iMax, const char **szNameArray, auto_
 		static auto_ptr<RString> as_##X##Name[NUM_##X+2]; \
 		return EnumToString( x, NUM_##X, X##Names, as_##X##Name ); \
 	} \
-	template<> RString ToString<X>( const X &value ) { return X##ToString(value); }
+	namespace StringConversion { template<> RString ToString<X>( const X &value ) { return X##ToString(value); } }
 #define XToString(X, CNT) XToString2(X)
 
 #define XToLocalizedString(X)      \
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ const RString &EnumToString( int iVal, int iMax, const char **szNameArray, auto_
 				return (X)i;	\
 		return (X)(i+1); /*invalid*/	\
 	} \
-	template<> bool FromString<X>( const RString &sValue, X &out ) { out = StringTo##X(sValue); return out != X##_Invalid; }
+	namespace StringConversion { template<> bool FromString<X>( const RString &sValue, X &out ) { out = StringTo##X(sValue); return out != X##_Invalid; } }
 
 // currently unused
 #define LuaDeclareType(X)
diff --git a/stepmania/src/Model.cpp b/stepmania/src/Model.cpp
index 01c33c1b54..e0bc8961f9 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/Model.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/Model.cpp
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ void Model::LoadMaterialsFromMilkshapeAscii( const RString &_sPath )
 				if( f.GetLine( sLine ) <= 0 )
 					THROW;
 				float fShininess;
-				if( !FromString(sLine, fShininess) )
+				if( !StringConversion::FromString(sLine, fShininess) )
 					THROW;
 				Material.fShininess = fShininess;
 
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ void Model::LoadMaterialsFromMilkshapeAscii( const RString &_sPath )
 				if( f.GetLine( sLine ) <= 0 )
 					THROW;
 				float fTransparency;
-				if( !FromString(sLine, fTransparency) )
+				if( !StringConversion::FromString(sLine, fTransparency) )
 					THROW;
 				Material.fTransparency = fTransparency;
 
diff --git a/stepmania/src/PlayerOptions.cpp b/stepmania/src/PlayerOptions.cpp
index 2f13faa795..0593b1043d 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/PlayerOptions.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/PlayerOptions.cpp
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ void PlayerOptions::FromString( const RString &sOptions, bool bWarnOnInvalid )
 		vector<RString> matches;
 		if( mult.Compare(sBit, matches) )
 		{
-			::FromString( matches[0], level );
+			StringConversion::FromString( matches[0], level );
 			SET_FLOAT( fScrollSpeed )
 			SET_FLOAT( fTimeSpacing )
 			m_fTimeSpacing = 0;
diff --git a/stepmania/src/Preference.h b/stepmania/src/Preference.h
index aea2ff3e8f..abb7699193 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/Preference.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/Preference.h
@@ -57,10 +57,10 @@ public:
 		LoadDefault();
 	}
 
-	RString ToString() const { return ::ToString<T>( m_currentValue ); }
+	RString ToString() const { return StringConversion::ToString<T>( m_currentValue ); }
 	void FromString( const RString &s )
 	{
-		if( !::FromString<T>(s, m_currentValue) )
+		if( !StringConversion::FromString<T>(s, m_currentValue) )
 			m_currentValue = m_defaultValue;
 		if( m_pfnValidate ) 
 			m_pfnValidate( m_currentValue );
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ public:
 	void SetDefaultFromString( const RString &s )
 	{
 		T def = m_defaultValue;
-		if( !::FromString<T>(s, m_defaultValue) )
+		if( !StringConversion::FromString<T>(s, m_defaultValue) )
 			m_defaultValue = def;
 	}
 
diff --git a/stepmania/src/RageUtil.cpp b/stepmania/src/RageUtil.cpp
index 58998114b2..517efa4136 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/RageUtil.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/RageUtil.cpp
@@ -1883,65 +1883,66 @@ void CollapsePath( RString &sPath, bool bRemoveLeadingDot )
 	sOut.swap( sPath );
 }
 
-
-template<> bool FromString<int>( const RString &sValue, int &out )
+namespace StringConversion
 {
-	if( sscanf( sValue.c_str(), "%d", &out ) == 1 )
-		return true;
+	template<> bool FromString<int>( const RString &sValue, int &out )
+	{
+		if( sscanf( sValue.c_str(), "%d", &out ) == 1 )
+			return true;
 
-	out = 0;
-	return false;
-}
-
-template<> bool FromString<unsigned>( const RString &sValue, unsigned  &out )
-{
-	if( sscanf( sValue.c_str(), "%u", &out ) == 1 )
-		return true;
-
-	out = 0;
-	return false;
-}
-
-template<> bool FromString<float>( const RString &sValue, float &out )
-{
-	const char *endptr = sValue.data() + sValue.size();
-	out = strtof( sValue, (char **) &endptr );
-	if( endptr != sValue.data() && isfinite( out ) )
-		return true;
-	out = 0;
-	return false;
-}
-
-template<> bool FromString<bool>( const RString &sValue, bool &out )
-{
-	if( sValue.size() == 0 )
+		out = 0;
 		return false;
+	}
 
-	out = (atoi(sValue) != 0);
-	return true;
+	template<> bool FromString<unsigned>( const RString &sValue, unsigned  &out )
+	{
+		if( sscanf( sValue.c_str(), "%u", &out ) == 1 )
+			return true;
+
+		out = 0;
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	template<> bool FromString<float>( const RString &sValue, float &out )
+	{
+		const char *endptr = sValue.data() + sValue.size();
+		out = strtof( sValue, (char **) &endptr );
+		if( endptr != sValue.data() && isfinite( out ) )
+			return true;
+		out = 0;
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	template<> bool FromString<bool>( const RString &sValue, bool &out )
+	{
+		if( sValue.size() == 0 )
+			return false;
+
+		out = (atoi(sValue) != 0);
+		return true;
+	}
+
+	template<> RString ToString<int>( const int &value )
+	{
+		return ssprintf( "%i", value );
+	}
+
+	template<> RString ToString<unsigned>( const unsigned &value )
+	{
+		return ssprintf( "%u", value );
+	}
+
+	template<> RString ToString<float>( const float &value )
+	{
+		return ssprintf( "%f", value );
+	}
+
+	template<> RString ToString<bool>( const bool &value )
+	{
+		return ssprintf( "%i", value );
+	}
 }
 
-template<> RString ToString<int>( const int &value )
-{
-	return ssprintf( "%i", value );
-}
-
-template<> RString ToString<unsigned>( const unsigned &value )
-{
-	return ssprintf( "%u", value );
-}
-
-template<> RString ToString<float>( const float &value )
-{
-	return ssprintf( "%f", value );
-}
-
-template<> RString ToString<bool>( const bool &value )
-{
-	return ssprintf( "%i", value );
-}
-
-
 //
 // Helper function for reading/writing scores
 //
diff --git a/stepmania/src/RageUtil.h b/stepmania/src/RageUtil.h
index 2ef3391d30..4afa55b560 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/RageUtil.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/RageUtil.h
@@ -532,27 +532,17 @@ void FlushDirCache();
 void FixSlashesInPlace( RString &sPath );
 void CollapsePath( RString &sPath, bool bRemoveLeadingDot=false );
 
-/* If the specified value is not a valid value for this type, and the type
- * has a corresponding "invalid" value, out will be assigned the invalid
- * value if bAllowInvalid is true, or a sensible default if false.  (An example
- * "invalid" sentinels is NULL for pointers.)  In either case, false will
- * be returned. */
-template<typename T>
-bool FromString( const RString &sValue, T &out );
+namespace StringConversion
+{
+	template<typename T>
+	bool FromString( const RString &sValue, T &out );
 
-template<> bool FromString<int>( const RString &sValue, int &out );
-template<> bool FromString<unsigned>( const RString &sValue, unsigned &out );
-template<> bool FromString<float>( const RString &sValue, float &out );
-template<> bool FromString<bool>( const RString &sValue, bool &out );
-template<> inline bool FromString<RString>( const RString &sValue, RString &out ) { out = sValue; return true; }
+	template<typename T>
+	RString ToString( const T &value );
 
-template<typename T>
-RString ToString( const T &value );
-template<> RString ToString<int>( const int &value );
-template<> RString ToString<unsigned>( const unsigned &value );
-template<> RString ToString<float>( const float &value );
-template<> RString ToString<bool>( const bool &value );
-template<> inline RString ToString<RString>( const RString &value ) { return value; }
+	template<> inline bool FromString<RString>( const RString &sValue, RString &out ) { out = sValue; return true; }
+	template<> inline RString ToString<RString>( const RString &value ) { return value; }
+}
 
 // helper file functions used by Bookkeeper and ProfileManager
 class RageFileBasic;
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ScreenOptionsMasterPrefs.cpp b/stepmania/src/ScreenOptionsMasterPrefs.cpp
index 01c27a5adf..eae2610703 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ScreenOptionsMasterPrefs.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/ScreenOptionsMasterPrefs.cpp
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
 #include "SpecialFiles.h"
 #include "RageLog.h"
 
+using namespace StringConversion;
+
 static void GetPrefsDefaultModifiers( PlayerOptions &po, SongOptions &so )
 {
 	po.FromString( PREFSMAN->m_sDefaultModifiers );