Oh, you need the nsxml module:
http://www.arsdigita.com/acs-repository/one-version?version_id=583download and install it in your AOLserver bin directory, and
add:
ns_param ns_xml ${bindir}/ns_xml.so
to your ns/server/servername/modules section
Would someone be interested in volunteering to write a brief page or two description of where pieces are found and how to configure for OpenACS 4.x and put it up in file-storage?