diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 79d8a0c0e0..d69b8c4c77 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -186,21 +186,22 @@ set_property(DIRECTORY PROPERTY EP_PREFIX ${EXTERNAL_PROJECT_PREFIX})
 setup_externals_binary_dir()
 
 # setup options to grab external project dependencies
-option(GET_BULLET "Get Bullet library automatically as external project" 1)
-option(GET_GLM "Get GLM library automatically as external project" 1)
-option(GET_GVERB "Get Gverb library automatically as external project" 1)
-option(GET_TBB "Get Threading Building Blocks library automatically as external project" 1)
-option(GET_LIBOVR "Get LibOVR library automatically as external project" 1)
-option(GET_VHACD "Get V-HACD library automatically as external project" 1)
-option(GET_POLYVOX "Get polyvox library automatically as external project" 1)
-option(GET_OPENVR "Get OpenVR library automatically as external project" 1)
-option(GET_BOOSTCONFIG "Get Boost-config library automatically as external project" 1)
-option(GET_OGLPLUS "Get OGLplus library automatically as external project" 1)
-option(GET_GLEW "Get GLEW library automatically as external project" 1)
+#option(GET_BULLET "Get Bullet library automatically as external project" 1)
+#option(GET_GLM "Get GLM library automatically as external project" 1)
+#option(GET_GVERB "Get Gverb library automatically as external project" 1)
+#option(GET_TBB "Get Threading Building Blocks library automatically as external project" 1)
+#option(GET_LIBOVR "Get LibOVR library automatically as external project" 1)
+#option(GET_VHACD "Get V-HACD library automatically as external project" 1)
+#option(GET_POLYVOX "Get polyvox library automatically as external project" 1)
+#option(GET_OPENVR "Get OpenVR library automatically as external project" 1)
+#option(GET_BOOSTCONFIG "Get Boost-config library automatically as external project" 1)
+#option(GET_OGLPLUS "Get OGLplus library automatically as external project" 1)
+#option(GET_GLEW "Get GLEW library automatically as external project" 1)
+#option(GET_SDL2 "Get SDL2 library automatically as external project" 1)
+#option(GET_SIXENSE "Get Sixense library automatically as external project" 1)
 
 option(USE_NSIGHT "Attempt to find the nSight libraries" 1)
 
-option(GET_SDL2 "Get SDL2 library automatically as external project" 0)
 
 if (WIN32)
   add_paths_to_fixup_libs("${QT_DIR}/bin")
diff --git a/cmake/externals/faceshift/CMakeLists.txt b/cmake/externals/faceshift/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b18b861912
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/externals/faceshift/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+set(EXTERNAL_NAME faceshift)
+
+include(ExternalProject)
+ExternalProject_Add(
+  ${EXTERNAL_NAME}
+  URL https://hifi-public.s3.amazonaws.com/dependencies/faceshift.zip
+  CMAKE_ARGS ${ANDROID_CMAKE_ARGS} -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX:PATH=<INSTALL_DIR>
+  BINARY_DIR ${EXTERNAL_PROJECT_PREFIX}/build
+  LOG_DOWNLOAD 1
+  LOG_CONFIGURE 1
+  LOG_BUILD 1
+)
+
+#  URL_MD5 1bdcb8a0b8d5b1ede434cc41efade41d
+
+# Hide this external target (for ide users)
+set_target_properties(${EXTERNAL_NAME} PROPERTIES FOLDER "hidden/externals")
+
+ExternalProject_Get_Property(${EXTERNAL_NAME} INSTALL_DIR)
+
+string(TOUPPER ${EXTERNAL_NAME} EXTERNAL_NAME_UPPER)
+set(${EXTERNAL_NAME_UPPER}_INCLUDE_DIRS ${INSTALL_DIR}/include CACHE FILEPATH "Path to Faceshift include directory")
+
+if (WIN32)
+    set(${EXTERNAL_NAME_UPPER}_LIBRARY_DEBUG ${INSTALL_DIR}/lib/Debug/faceshift.lib CACHE FILEPATH "Faceshift libraries")
+    set(${EXTERNAL_NAME_UPPER}_LIBRARY_RELEASE ${INSTALL_DIR}/lib/Release/faceshift.lib CACHE FILEPATH "Faceshift libraries")
+elseif (APPLE)
+    set(${EXTERNAL_NAME_UPPER}_LIBRARY_DEBUG ${INSTALL_DIR}/lib/Debug/libfaceshift.a CACHE FILEPATH "Faceshift libraries")
+    set(${EXTERNAL_NAME_UPPER}_LIBRARY_RELEASE ${INSTALL_DIR}/lib/Release/libfaceshift.a CACHE FILEPATH "Faceshift libraries")
+endif()
diff --git a/cmake/externals/sdl2/CMakeLists.txt b/cmake/externals/sdl2/CMakeLists.txt
index e6c80cf6ef..0f44f28610 100644
--- a/cmake/externals/sdl2/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/cmake/externals/sdl2/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -47,25 +47,13 @@ if (APPLE)
   ExternalProject_Get_Property(${EXTERNAL_NAME} SOURCE_DIR)
   set(${EXTERNAL_NAME_UPPER}_INCLUDE_DIR ${SOURCE_DIR}/SDL2.framework/Headers CACHE PATH "Location of SDL2 include directory")
   set(${EXTERNAL_NAME_UPPER}_LIBRARY_TEMP ${SOURCE_DIR}/SDL2.framework/SDL2 CACHE STRING "Path to SDL2 library")
+elseif (WIN32)
+  ExternalProject_Get_Property(${EXTERNAL_NAME} SOURCE_DIR)
+  set(${EXTERNAL_NAME_UPPER}_INCLUDE_DIR ${SOURCE_DIR}/include CACHE PATH "Location of SDL2 include directory")
+  set(${EXTERNAL_NAME_UPPER}_LIBRARY_TEMP ${SOURCE_DIR}/lib/x86/SDL2.lib CACHE FILEPATH "Path to SDL2 library")
+  set(${EXTERNAL_NAME_UPPER}_DLL_PATH ${SOURCE_DIR}/lib/x86 CACHE PATH "Location of SDL2 DLL")
 else ()
-  if (WIN32)
-    ExternalProject_Get_Property(${EXTERNAL_NAME} SOURCE_DIR)
-    set(_ROOT_DIR ${SOURCE_DIR})
-    set(_INCLUDE_DIR ${_ROOT_DIR}/include)
-    set(_LIB_DIR "${SOURCE_DIR}/lib/x86")
-    set(_LIB_EXT "lib")
-  
-    set(${EXTERNAL_NAME_UPPER}_DLL_PATH ${_LIB_DIR} CACHE PATH "Location of SDL2 DLL")
-  else ()
-    ExternalProject_Get_Property(${EXTERNAL_NAME} INSTALL_DIR)
-    set(_ROOT_DIR ${INSTALL_DIR})
-    set(_INCLUDE_DIR ${_ROOT_DIR}/include/SDL2)
-  
-    set(_LIB_DIR ${INSTALL_DIR}/lib)
-    set(_LIB_EXT "so")
-    set(_LIB_PREFIX "lib")
-  endif ()
-
-  set(${EXTERNAL_NAME_UPPER}_INCLUDE_DIR ${_INCLUDE_DIR} CACHE PATH "Location of SDL2 include directory")
-  set(${EXTERNAL_NAME_UPPER}_LIBRARY_TEMP ${_LIB_DIR}/${_LIB_PREFIX}SDL2.${_LIB_EXT} CACHE FILEPATH "Path to SDL2 library")
-endif ()
\ No newline at end of file
+  ExternalProject_Get_Property(${EXTERNAL_NAME} INSTALL_DIR)
+  set(${EXTERNAL_NAME_UPPER}_INCLUDE_DIR ${INSTALL_DIR}/include/SDL2 CACHE PATH "Location of SDL2 include directory")
+  set(${EXTERNAL_NAME_UPPER}_LIBRARY_TEMP ${INSTALL_DIR}/lib/libSDL2.so CACHE FILEPATH "Path to SDL2 library")
+endif ()
diff --git a/cmake/externals/sixense/CMakeLists.txt b/cmake/externals/sixense/CMakeLists.txt
index f6646e2272..72de4a7e15 100644
--- a/cmake/externals/sixense/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/cmake/externals/sixense/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,30 +1,20 @@
 include(ExternalProject)
-include(SelectLibraryConfigurations)
 
-set(EXTERNAL_NAME Sixense)
+set(EXTERNAL_NAME sixense)
 
 string(TOUPPER ${EXTERNAL_NAME} EXTERNAL_NAME_UPPER)
 
 ExternalProject_Add(
   ${EXTERNAL_NAME}
-  URL ./SixenseSDK_062612.zip
-  URL_MD5 10cc8dc470d2ac1244a88cf04bc549cc
+  URL http://hifi-public.s3.amazonaws.com/dependencies/SixenseSDK_071615.zip
+  URL_MD5 752a3901f334124e9cffc2ba4136ef7d
   CONFIGURE_COMMAND ""
   BUILD_COMMAND ""
   INSTALL_COMMAND ""
   LOG_DOWNLOAD 1
 )
 
-if (APPLE)
-  find_library(SIXENSE_LIBRARY_RELEASE lib/osx_x64/release_dll/libsixense_x64.dylib HINTS ${SIXENSE_SEARCH_DIRS})
-  find_library(SIXENSE_LIBRARY_DEBUG lib/osx_x64/debug_dll/libsixensed_x64.dylib HINTS ${SIXENSE_SEARCH_DIRS})
-elseif (UNIX)
-  find_library(SIXENSE_LIBRARY_RELEASE lib/linux_x64/release/libsixense_x64.so HINTS ${SIXENSE_SEARCH_DIRS})
-  # find_library(SIXENSE_LIBRARY_DEBUG lib/linux_x64/debug/libsixensed_x64.so HINTS ${SIXENSE_SEARCH_DIRS})
-elseif (WIN32)
-endif ()
-
-
+set_target_properties(${EXTERNAL_NAME} PROPERTIES FOLDER "hidden/externals")
 
 ExternalProject_Get_Property(${EXTERNAL_NAME} SOURCE_DIR)
 
@@ -39,22 +29,18 @@ if (WIN32)
         set(ARCH_DIR "Win32")
         set(ARCH_SUFFIX "")
     endif()
-
-  # FIXME need to account for different architectures 
-  set(${EXTERNAL_NAME_UPPER}_LIBRARIES "${SOURCE_DIR}/lib/${ARCH_DIR}/release_dll/sixense${ARCH_SUFFIX}.lib" CACHE TYPE INTERNAL)
-  add_paths_to_fixup_libs(${SOURCE_DIR}/bin/win32)
+    
+    set(${EXTERNAL_NAME_UPPER}_LIBRARIES "${SOURCE_DIR}/lib/${ARCH_DIR}/VS2013/release_dll/sixense${ARCH_SUFFIX}.lib" CACHE TYPE INTERNAL)
+    add_paths_to_fixup_libs("${SOURCE_DIR}/bin/${ARCH_DIR}/VS2013/release_dll")
 
 elseif(APPLE)
 
-  # FIXME need to account for different architectures 
-  set(${EXTERNAL_NAME_UPPER}_LIBRARIES ${SOURCE_DIR}/lib/osx_x64/release_dll/libsixense_x64.dylib CACHE TYPE INTERNAL)
-  add_paths_to_fixup_libs(${SOURCE_DIR}/bin/osx32)
+    set(${EXTERNAL_NAME_UPPER}_LIBRARIES ${SOURCE_DIR}/lib/osx_x64/release_dll/libsixense_x64.dylib CACHE TYPE INTERNAL)
 
 elseif(NOT ANDROID)
 
-  # FIXME need to account for different architectures 
-  set(${EXTERNAL_NAME_UPPER}_LIBRARIES ${SOURCE_DIR}/lib/linux_x64/release/libsixense_x64.so CACHE TYPE INTERNAL)
-  add_paths_to_fixup_libs(${SOURCE_DIR}/bin/linux32)
-  
+    # FIXME need to account for different architectures 
+    set(${EXTERNAL_NAME_UPPER}_LIBRARIES ${SOURCE_DIR}/lib/linux_x64/release/libsixense_x64.so CACHE TYPE INTERNAL)
+
 endif()
 
diff --git a/cmake/macros/AddDependencyExternalProjects.cmake b/cmake/macros/AddDependencyExternalProjects.cmake
index e859ef2db5..e8292c3198 100644
--- a/cmake/macros/AddDependencyExternalProjects.cmake
+++ b/cmake/macros/AddDependencyExternalProjects.cmake
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ macro(ADD_DEPENDENCY_EXTERNAL_PROJECTS)
     string(TOUPPER ${_PROJ_NAME} _PROJ_NAME_UPPER)
     
     # has the user told us they specific don't want this as an external project?
-    if (GET_${_PROJ_NAME_UPPER})
+    if (NOT DISABLE_${_PROJ_NAME_UPPER})
       # have we already detected we can't have this as external project on this OS?
       if (NOT DEFINED ${_PROJ_NAME_UPPER}_EXTERNAL_PROJECT OR ${_PROJ_NAME_UPPER}_EXTERNAL_PROJECT)
         # have we already setup the target?
diff --git a/cmake/macros/TargetFaceshift.cmake b/cmake/macros/TargetFaceshift.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..99f65d942a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/macros/TargetFaceshift.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+# 
+#  Copyright 2015 High Fidelity, Inc.
+#  Created by Bradley Austin Davis on 2015/10/10
+#
+#  Distributed under the Apache License, Version 2.0.
+#  See the accompanying file LICENSE or http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.html
+# 
+macro(TARGET_FACESHIFT)
+    add_dependency_external_projects(faceshift)
+    find_package(Faceshift REQUIRED)
+    target_include_directories(${TARGET_NAME} PRIVATE ${FACESHIFT_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+    target_link_libraries(${TARGET_NAME} ${FACESHIFT_LIBRARIES})
+    add_definitions(-DHAVE_FACESHIFT)
+endmacro()
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/cmake/macros/TargetSDL2.cmake b/cmake/macros/TargetSDL2.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ee2328dfff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/macros/TargetSDL2.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+# 
+#  Copyright 2015 High Fidelity, Inc.
+#  Created by Bradley Austin Davis on 2015/10/10
+#
+#  Distributed under the Apache License, Version 2.0.
+#  See the accompanying file LICENSE or http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.html
+# 
+macro(TARGET_SDL2)
+    add_dependency_external_projects(sdl2)
+    find_package(SDL2 REQUIRED)
+    target_include_directories(${TARGET_NAME} SYSTEM PRIVATE ${SDL2_INCLUDE_DIR})
+    target_link_libraries(${TARGET_NAME} ${SDL2_LIBRARY})
+    add_definitions(-DHAVE_SDL2)
+endmacro()
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/cmake/macros/TargetSixense.cmake b/cmake/macros/TargetSixense.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b52af9cdd2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/macros/TargetSixense.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+# 
+#  Copyright 2015 High Fidelity, Inc.
+#  Created by Bradley Austin Davis on 2015/10/10
+#
+#  Distributed under the Apache License, Version 2.0.
+#  See the accompanying file LICENSE or http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.html
+# 
+macro(TARGET_SIXENSE)
+    add_dependency_external_projects(sixense)
+    find_package(Sixense REQUIRED)
+    target_include_directories(${TARGET_NAME} PRIVATE ${SIXENSE_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+    target_link_libraries(${TARGET_NAME} ${SIXENSE_LIBRARIES})
+    add_definitions(-DHAVE_SIXENSE)
+endmacro()
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/cmake/modules/FindFaceshift.cmake b/cmake/modules/FindFaceshift.cmake
index 1f8b7b19fe..bd77951273 100644
--- a/cmake/modules/FindFaceshift.cmake
+++ b/cmake/modules/FindFaceshift.cmake
@@ -18,32 +18,9 @@
 #  See the accompanying file LICENSE or http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.html
 # 
 
-include("${MACRO_DIR}/HifiLibrarySearchHints.cmake")
-hifi_library_search_hints("faceshift")
-
-find_path(FACESHIFT_INCLUDE_DIRS fsbinarystream.h PATH_SUFFIXES include HINTS ${FACESHIFT_SEARCH_DIRS})
-
-if (APPLE)
-  set(ARCH_DIR "MacOS")
-elseif (UNIX)
-  set(ARCH_DIR "UNIX")
-elseif (WIN32)
-  if ("${CMAKE_SIZEOF_VOID_P}" EQUAL "8")
-    set(ARCH_DIR "x64")
-  else()
-    set(ARCH_DIR "Win32")
-  endif()
-endif ()
-
-find_library(FACESHIFT_LIBRARY_RELEASE NAME faceshift PATH_SUFFIXES lib/${ARCH_DIR} HINTS ${FACESHIFT_SEARCH_DIRS})
-find_library(FACESHIFT_LIBRARY_DEBUG NAME faceshiftd PATH_SUFFIXES lib/${ARCH_DIR} HINTS ${FACESHIFT_SEARCH_DIRS})
-
 include(SelectLibraryConfigurations)
 select_library_configurations(FACESHIFT)
 
-set(FACESHIFT_LIBRARIES ${FACESHIFT_LIBRARY})
-
 include(FindPackageHandleStandardArgs)
 find_package_handle_standard_args(Faceshift DEFAULT_MSG FACESHIFT_INCLUDE_DIRS FACESHIFT_LIBRARIES)
-
 mark_as_advanced(FACESHIFT_INCLUDE_DIRS FACESHIFT_LIBRARIES FACESHIFT_SEARCH_DIRS)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/cmake/modules/FindSixense.cmake b/cmake/modules/FindSixense.cmake
index 98b37d5410..9abacac136 100644
--- a/cmake/modules/FindSixense.cmake
+++ b/cmake/modules/FindSixense.cmake
@@ -18,49 +18,6 @@
 #  See the accompanying file LICENSE or http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.html
 # 
 
-include("${MACRO_DIR}/HifiLibrarySearchHints.cmake")
-hifi_library_search_hints("sixense")
-
-find_path(SIXENSE_INCLUDE_DIRS sixense.h PATH_SUFFIXES include HINTS ${SIXENSE_SEARCH_DIRS})
-
-if (APPLE)
-  find_library(SIXENSE_LIBRARY_RELEASE lib/osx_x64/release_dll/libsixense_x64.dylib HINTS ${SIXENSE_SEARCH_DIRS})
-  find_library(SIXENSE_LIBRARY_DEBUG lib/osx_x64/debug_dll/libsixensed_x64.dylib HINTS ${SIXENSE_SEARCH_DIRS})
-elseif (UNIX)
-  find_library(SIXENSE_LIBRARY_RELEASE lib/linux_x64/release/libsixense_x64.so HINTS ${SIXENSE_SEARCH_DIRS})
-  # find_library(SIXENSE_LIBRARY_DEBUG lib/linux_x64/debug/libsixensed_x64.so HINTS ${SIXENSE_SEARCH_DIRS})
-elseif (WIN32)
-    if ("${CMAKE_SIZEOF_VOID_P}" EQUAL "8")
-        set(ARCH_DIR "x64")
-        set(ARCH_SUFFIX "_x64")
-    else()
-        set(ARCH_DIR "Win32")
-        set(ARCH_SUFFIX "")
-    endif()
-
-  find_library(SIXENSE_LIBRARY_RELEASE "lib/${ARCH_DIR}/release_dll/sixense${ARCH_SUFFIX}.lib" HINTS ${SIXENSE_SEARCH_DIRS})
-  find_library(SIXENSE_LIBRARY_DEBUG "lib/${ARCH_DIR}/debug_dll/sixensed.lib" HINTS ${SIXENSE_SEARCH_DIRS})
-  
-  find_path(SIXENSE_DEBUG_DLL_PATH "sixensed${ARCH_SUFFIX}.dll" PATH_SUFFIXES bin/${ARCH_DIR}/debug_dll HINTS ${SIXENSE_SEARCH_DIRS})
-  find_path(SIXENSE_RELEASE_DLL_PATH "sixense${ARCH_SUFFIX}.dll" PATH_SUFFIXES bin/${ARCH_DIR}/release_dll HINTS ${SIXENSE_SEARCH_DIRS})
-  find_path(SIXENSE_DEVICE_DLL_PATH DeviceDLL.dll PATH_SUFFIXES samples/${ARCH_DIR}/sixense_simple3d HINTS ${SIXENSE_SEARCH_DIRS})
-endif ()
-
-include(SelectLibraryConfigurations)
-select_library_configurations(SIXENSE)
-
-set(SIXENSE_REQUIREMENTS SIXENSE_INCLUDE_DIRS SIXENSE_LIBRARIES)
-if (WIN32)
-  list(APPEND SIXENSE_REQUIREMENTS SIXENSE_DEBUG_DLL_PATH SIXENSE_RELEASE_DLL_PATH SIXENSE_DEVICE_DLL_PATH)
-endif ()
-
-set(SIXENSE_LIBRARIES "${SIXENSE_LIBRARY}")
-
 include(FindPackageHandleStandardArgs)
-find_package_handle_standard_args(Sixense DEFAULT_MSG ${SIXENSE_REQUIREMENTS})
-
-if (WIN32)
-  add_paths_to_fixup_libs(${SIXENSE_DEBUG_DLL_PATH} ${SIXENSE_RELEASE_DLL_PATH} ${SIXENSE_DEVICE_DLL_PATH})
-endif ()
-
+find_package_handle_standard_args(Sixense DEFAULT_MSG SIXENSE_INCLUDE_DIRS SIXENSE_LIBRARIES)
 mark_as_advanced(SIXENSE_LIBRARIES SIXENSE_INCLUDE_DIRS SIXENSE_SEARCH_DIRS)
diff --git a/interface/CMakeLists.txt b/interface/CMakeLists.txt
index f9c92c59e7..f04fa88910 100644
--- a/interface/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/interface/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -2,7 +2,12 @@ set(TARGET_NAME interface)
 project(${TARGET_NAME})
 
 # set a default root dir for each of our optional externals if it was not passed
-set(OPTIONAL_EXTERNALS "Faceshift" "LeapMotion" "RtMidi" "RSSDK" "3DConnexionClient" "iViewHMD")
+set(OPTIONAL_EXTERNALS "LeapMotion" "RtMidi" "RSSDK" "iViewHMD")
+
+if(WIN32)
+    list(APPEND OPTIONAL_EXTERNALS "3DConnexionClient")
+endif()
+
 foreach(EXTERNAL ${OPTIONAL_EXTERNALS})
   string(TOUPPER ${EXTERNAL} ${EXTERNAL}_UPPERCASE)
   if (NOT ${${EXTERNAL}_UPPERCASE}_ROOT_DIR)
@@ -102,12 +107,14 @@ link_hifi_libraries(shared octree environment gpu gl procedural model render
                     render-utils entities-renderer ui auto-updater 
                     plugins display-plugins input-plugins)
 
+#fixme find a way to express faceshift as a plugin
 target_bullet()
 target_glew()
 target_opengl()
 
-
-add_dependency_external_projects(sdl2)
+if (WIN32 OR APPLE)
+    target_faceshift()
+endif()
 
 # perform standard include and linking for found externals
 foreach(EXTERNAL ${OPTIONAL_EXTERNALS})
diff --git a/interface/external/faceshift/readme.txt b/interface/external/faceshift/readme.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index 4208711632..0000000000
--- a/interface/external/faceshift/readme.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,26 +0,0 @@
-
-Instructions for adding the Faceshift library to Interface
-Stephen Birarda, July 18th, 2014
-
-OS X users: You can also use homebrew to get the Faceshift library by tapping our repo - highfidelity/homebrew-formulas
-and then calling 'brew install highfidelity/formulas/faceshift'.
-
-You can download the Faceshift SDK from http://download.faceshift.com/faceshift-network.zip.
-
-Create a ‘faceshift’ folder under interface/externals.    
-   
-You may optionally choose to place this folder in a location outside the repository (so you can re-use with different checkouts and different projects). 
-
-If so our CMake find module expects you to set the ENV variable 'HIFI_LIB_DIR' to a directory containing a subfolder ‘faceshift’ that contains the lib and include folders. 
-
-1. Build a Faceshift static library from the fsbinarystream.cpp file.
-    Windows: Win32 console application; no precompiled header or SDL checks; no ATL or MFC headers; Project Properties, Configuration Type = Static Library (.lib).
-
-2. Copy the library files to the ‘lib’ folder in your Faceshift folder.
-    OSX: If you build a release version call it libfaceshift.a. The debug version should be called libfaceshiftd.a.
-    Windows: The release and debug versions should be called faceshift.lib and faceshiftd.lib, respectively. Copy them into a ‘Win32’ folder in your ‘lib’ folder.
-
-3. Copy the fsbinarystream.h header file from the Faceshift SDK into the ‘include’ folder in your Faceshift folder.
-
-4. Clear your build directory, run cmake and build, and you should be all set.
-
diff --git a/interface/external/sdl2/readme.txt b/interface/external/sdl2/readme.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index 9f3bd40e15..0000000000
--- a/interface/external/sdl2/readme.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-
-Instructions for adding the SDL library (SDL2) to Interface
-David Rowe, 11 Jan 2015
-
-You can download the SDL development library from https://www.libsdl.org/. Interface has been tested with version 2.0.3.
-
-1. Copy the include and lib folders into the interface/externals/sdl2 folder.
-   This readme.txt should be there as well.
-   
-   You may optionally choose to copy the SDK folders to a location outside the repository (so you can re-use with different checkouts and different projects). 
-   If so our CMake find module expects you to set the ENV variable 'HIFI_LIB_DIR' to a directory containing a subfolder 'sdl2' that contains the two folders mentioned above.
-
-2. Clear your build directory, run cmake and build, and you should be all set.
diff --git a/interface/external/sixense/readme.txt b/interface/external/sixense/readme.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index a4790caa5e..0000000000
--- a/interface/external/sixense/readme.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-
-Instructions for adding the Sixense driver to Interface
-Andrzej Kapolka, November 18, 2013
-
-1. Copy the Sixense sdk folders (bin, include, lib, and samples) into the interface/external/Sixense folder. This readme.txt should be there as well.
-    
-   You may optionally choose to copy the SDK folders to a location outside the repository (so you can re-use with different checkouts and different projects).
-   If so our CMake find module expects you to set the ENV variable 'HIFI_LIB_DIR' to a directory containing a subfolder 'sixense' that contains the folders mentioned above.
-
-3. Delete your build directory, run cmake and build, and you should be all set.
diff --git a/libraries/input-plugins/CMakeLists.txt b/libraries/input-plugins/CMakeLists.txt
index 094a697012..c26e14e756 100644
--- a/libraries/input-plugins/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/libraries/input-plugins/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -11,55 +11,5 @@ if (WIN32)
     target_link_libraries(${TARGET_NAME} ${OPENVR_LIBRARIES})
 endif()
 
-#add_dependency_external_projects(Sixense)
-#find_package(Sixense REQUIRED)
-#target_include_directories(${TARGET_NAME} PRIVATE ${SIXENSE_INCLUDE_DIRS})
-#target_link_libraries(${TARGET_NAME} ${SIXENSE_LIBRARIES})
-
-# set a default root dir for each of our optional externals if it was not passed
-set(OPTIONAL_EXTERNALS "SDL2" "Sixense")
-foreach(EXTERNAL ${OPTIONAL_EXTERNALS})
-  string(TOUPPER ${EXTERNAL} ${EXTERNAL}_UPPERCASE)
-  if (NOT ${${EXTERNAL}_UPPERCASE}_ROOT_DIR)
-    string(TOLOWER ${EXTERNAL} ${EXTERNAL}_LOWERCASE)
-    set(${${EXTERNAL}_UPPERCASE}_ROOT_DIR "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/interface/external/${${EXTERNAL}_LOWERCASE}")
-  endif ()
-endforeach()
-
-# perform standard include and linking for found externals
-foreach(EXTERNAL ${OPTIONAL_EXTERNALS})
-  
-  if (${${EXTERNAL}_UPPERCASE}_REQUIRED)
-    find_package(${EXTERNAL} REQUIRED)
-  else ()
-    find_package(${EXTERNAL})
-  endif ()
-  
-  if (${${EXTERNAL}_UPPERCASE}_FOUND AND NOT DISABLE_${${EXTERNAL}_UPPERCASE})
-    add_definitions(-DHAVE_${${EXTERNAL}_UPPERCASE})
-    
-    # include the library directories (ignoring warnings)
-    if (NOT ${${EXTERNAL}_UPPERCASE}_INCLUDE_DIRS)
-      set(${${EXTERNAL}_UPPERCASE}_INCLUDE_DIRS ${${${EXTERNAL}_UPPERCASE}_INCLUDE_DIR})
-    endif ()
-    
-    include_directories(SYSTEM ${${${EXTERNAL}_UPPERCASE}_INCLUDE_DIRS})
-    
-    # perform the system include hack for OS X to ignore warnings
-    if (APPLE)
-      foreach(EXTERNAL_INCLUDE_DIR  ${${${EXTERNAL}_UPPERCASE}_INCLUDE_DIRS})
-        SET(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -isystem ${EXTERNAL_INCLUDE_DIR}")
-      endforeach()
-    endif ()
-    
-    if (NOT ${${EXTERNAL}_UPPERCASE}_LIBRARIES)
-      set(${${EXTERNAL}_UPPERCASE}_LIBRARIES ${${${EXTERNAL}_UPPERCASE}_LIBRARY})
-    endif ()
-    
-    if (NOT APPLE OR NOT ${${EXTERNAL}_UPPERCASE} MATCHES "SIXENSE")
-      target_link_libraries(${TARGET_NAME} ${${${EXTERNAL}_UPPERCASE}_LIBRARIES})
-    elseif (APPLE AND NOT INSTALLER_BUILD)
-      add_definitions(-DSIXENSE_LIB_FILENAME=\"${${${EXTERNAL}_UPPERCASE}_LIBRARY_RELEASE}\")
-    endif ()
-  endif ()
-endforeach()
+target_sdl2()
+target_sixense()