refcounting basic_string<> and thread safety

[Steinar Bang]

I'm guessing that the current refcounting <string> with gcc/egcs
library isn't thread safe?

Will the new basic_string<> delivered with libstdc++-v3 be thread
safe? 

Ref. the discussion currently going on in the egcs mailing list:
        http://egcs.cygnus.com/ml/egcs/1999-06/msg00680.html
        http://egcs.cygnus.com/ml/egcs/1999-06/msg00681.html
        http://egcs.cygnus.com/ml/egcs/1999-06/msg00691.html
        http://egcs.cygnus.com/ml/egcs/1999-06/msg00715.html
        http://egcs.cygnus.com/ml/egcs/1999-06/msg00723.html