Now that shared_ptr is in tr1, what do you think should happen to the use of std::auto_ptr? They both have different use cases, but all use cases of auto_ptr can be solved with shared_ptr, too. Will you abandon auto_ptr or continue to use it in cases where you want to express explicitly that only one class has ownership at any given point?
My take is that using auto_ptr can add clarity to code, precisely by adding nuance and an indication of the design of the code, but on the other hand, it add yet another subtle issue when training new programmers: they need to understand smart pointers and the fine details of how they work. When you use only one smart pointer everywhere, you can just lay down a rule 'wrap all pointers in shared_ptr' and be done with it.
What's your take on this?