Further helpful (I hope) criticism of the getting started Docs for boost 1.33.1 In http://www.boost.org/doc/html/bbv2/installation.html In the heading section entitled Chapter22 Installation, paragraph numbered 2. The second sentence reads: "Go to the Boost.Build root directory and run bjam --version. You should see: " etc It is too easy to assume this refers to the directory $(BOOST_ROOT)/build rather than $(BOOST_ROOT)/build/v2 and if you execute the command there you get a cryptic error message. I think what is referred to here as the Boost Build directory is referred to previously as the Boost Build V2 directory ( I feel however that it is quite likely to arrive here without having read that anyway). The physical location of v2 under the build directory can add to the confusion It might help to always refer to the directory explicitly as the Boost Build v2 directory. HTH regards Andy Little