--- libs/system/src/error_code.cpp.orig	2008-09-22 12:57:06.000000000 +0200
+++ libs/system/src/error_code.cpp	2008-09-22 13:08:58.000000000 +0200
@@ -38,6 +38,20 @@
 
 namespace
 {
+    //  error_category implementation note: VC++ 8.0 objects to name() and
+    //  message() being pure virtual functions. Thus these implementations.
+
+    std::string error_category::message( int ) const
+    { 
+      static std::string s("error: should never be called");
+      return s;
+    }
+
+    const char * error_category::name() const
+    { 
+      return "error: should never be called";
+    }
+
   //  standard error categories  ---------------------------------------------//
 
   class generic_error_category : public error_category