How to use __versa_string as std::string implementation?

[NielsDekker@xs4all.nl]

Do I understand correctly that the current GCC implementation of 
std::string is non-conforming, because it does ref-counting + copy-on-write?

If so, is there some compiler flag to switch to a conforming 
(non-ref-counting) std::string implementation?

If I understand well, the Versatile String, __versa_string from 
<ext/vstring.h> provides such an implementation, right?  Is there an 
easy way to recompile existing user code that uses std::string, in order 
to switch to a non-ref-counting implementation?


Apologies for my ignorance,

Kind regards,

   Niels
-- 
Niels Dekker
http://www.xs4all.nl/~nd/dekkerware
Scientific programmer at LKEB, Leiden University Medical Center