diff --git a/mixer/src/Plugin_Chooser.C b/mixer/src/Plugin_Chooser.C
index c68d72e..19c9abb 100644
--- a/mixer/src/Plugin_Chooser.C
+++ b/mixer/src/Plugin_Chooser.C
@@ -62,8 +62,8 @@ Plugin_Chooser::search ( const char *name, const char *author, const char *categ
     {
         Plugin_Module::Plugin_Info *p = &(*i);
 
-        if ( strcasestr( p->name, name ) &&
-             strcasestr( p->author, author ) )
+        if ( strcasestr( p->name.c_str(), name ) &&
+             strcasestr( p->author.c_str(), author ) )
         {
             if ( !
                  ((( ( ninputs == 0 || ninputs == p->audio_inputs || ( ninputs == 1 && p->audio_inputs == 2 ) ) ) &&
@@ -80,10 +80,10 @@ Plugin_Chooser::search ( const char *name, const char *author, const char *categ
                 
                 if ( strcmp( category, "Any" ) )
                 {
-                    if ( !p->category && strcmp( category, "Unclassified" ))
+                    if ( !p->category.c_str() && strcmp( category, "Unclassified" ))
                         continue;
                     
-                    if (strncmp( p->category, category, strlen( category )))
+                    if (strncmp( p->category.c_str(), category, strlen( category )))
                         continue;
                 }
 
@@ -178,11 +178,11 @@ void Plugin_Table::draw_cell(TableContext context,
                     break;
                 case 1:
                     a = FL_ALIGN_LEFT;
-                    s2 = _plugin_rows[R]->name;
+                    s2 = _plugin_rows[R]->name.c_str();
                     break;
                 case 2:
                     a = FL_ALIGN_LEFT;
-                    s2 = _plugin_rows[R]->author;
+                    s2 = _plugin_rows[R]->author.c_str();
                     break;
                 case 3:
                     s2 = _plugin_rows[R]->type;
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ Plugin_Chooser::load_categories ( void )
           i != _plugins.end();
           i++ )
     {
-        if ( i->category )
+        if ( i->category.c_str() )
         {
             categories.push_back(i->category);
         }
diff --git a/mixer/src/Plugin_Module.C b/mixer/src/Plugin_Module.C
index 09126a1..0dee078 100644
--- a/mixer/src/Plugin_Module.C
+++ b/mixer/src/Plugin_Module.C
@@ -306,8 +306,8 @@ Plugin_Module::get_all_plugins ( void )
         //   pi[j].path = i->Name.c_str();
         pi.path = NULL;
         pi.id = i->UniqueID;
-        pi.author = i->Maker.c_str();
-        pi.name = i->Name.c_str();
+        pi.author = i->Maker;
+        pi.name = i->Name;
         pi.audio_inputs = i->AudioInputs;
         pi.audio_outputs = i->AudioOutputs;
         pi.category = "Unclassified";
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ Plugin_Module::get_all_plugins ( void )
         {
             if ( j->id == i->UniqueID )
             {
-                j->category = i->Category.c_str();
+                j->category = i->Category;
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/mixer/src/Plugin_Module.H b/mixer/src/Plugin_Module.H
index 9ce0028..5fdfa9a 100644
--- a/mixer/src/Plugin_Module.H
+++ b/mixer/src/Plugin_Module.H
@@ -31,13 +31,14 @@ class Plugin_Module : public Module {
 
 public:
 
-    struct Plugin_Info
+    class Plugin_Info
     {
+    public:
         const char *path;
         unsigned long id;
-        const char *name;
-        const char *author;
-        const char *category;
+        std::string name;
+        std::string author;
+        std::string category;
         int audio_inputs;
         int audio_outputs;
         const char *type;
@@ -47,17 +48,16 @@ public:
             {
                 path = 0;
                 id = 0;
-                name = 0;
-                author = 0;
-                category = 0;
+               
                 audio_inputs = 0;
                 audio_outputs = 0;
                 type = "LADSPA";
                 favorite = 0;
             }
 
+        
         bool operator< ( const Plugin_Info &rhs ) {
-            return strcmp( name, rhs.name ) < 1;
+            return strcmp( name.c_str(), rhs.name.c_str() ) < 1;
         }
     };