temporarily Revert "git rid of "operator string""

This reverts commit 95fa51a1df4e5965d467b6afa244520288fbc35b.

33 files changed, 73 insertions, 89 deletions

diff --git a/bson/bsonelement.h b/bson/bsonelement.h
index 56898f8119f..19b7ef32e1e 100644
--- a/bson/bsonelement.h
+++ b/bson/bsonelement.h
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ public:
     bool ok() const { return !eoo(); }
 
     string toString( bool includeFieldName = true ) const;
+    operator string() const { return toString(); }
     string jsonString( JsonStringFormat format, bool includeFieldNames = true, int pretty = 0 ) const;
 
     /** Returns the type of the element */
diff --git a/bson/bsonobj.h b/bson/bsonobj.h
index 6a68b6bb3e4..c29f9e39a07 100644
--- a/bson/bsonobj.h
+++ b/bson/bsonobj.h
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ namespace mongo {
             This is an abbreviated representation which might be used for logging.
         */
         string toString( bool isArray = false ) const;
+        operator string() const { return toString(); }
         
         /** Properly formatted JSON string. 
             @param pretty if true we try to add some lf's and indentation
diff --git a/bson/bsonobjbuilder.h b/bson/bsonobjbuilder.h
index 11f28fd6834..1535a553936 100644
--- a/bson/bsonobjbuilder.h
+++ b/bson/bsonobjbuilder.h
@@ -55,8 +55,7 @@ namespace mongo {
         BSONField( const string& name , const string& longName="" ) 
             : _name(name), _longName(longName){}
         const string& name() const { return _name; }
-        string toString() const { return _name; }
-        friend ostream& operator << (ostream& out, const BSONField& f) { return (out << f._name); }
+        operator string() const { return _name; }
 
         BSONFieldValue<T> make( const T& t ) const {
             return BSONFieldValue<T>( _name , t );
@@ -372,10 +371,6 @@ namespace mongo {
         BSONObjBuilder& append(const char *fieldName, string str) {
             return append(fieldName, str.c_str(), (int) str.size()+1);
         }
-        /** Append a string element */
-        BSONObjBuilder& append(const char *fieldName, ThreadSafeString tss) {
-            return append(fieldName, tss.toString());
-        }
         BSONObjBuilder& appendSymbol(const char *fieldName, const char *symbol) {
             _b.append((char) Symbol);
             _b.append(fieldName);
diff --git a/bson/ordering.h b/bson/ordering.h
index 614c56e050c..fbbfbece5e3 100644
--- a/bson/ordering.h
+++ b/bson/ordering.h
@@ -39,13 +39,12 @@ namespace mongo {
         // for woCompare...
         unsigned descending(unsigned mask) const { return bits & mask; }
         
-        string toString() const {
+        operator string() const {
             StringBuilder buf(32);
             for ( unsigned i=0; i<nkeys; i++)
                 buf.append( get(i) > 0 ? "+" : "-" );
             return buf.str();
         }
-        friend ostream& operator << (ostream& out, const Ordering& o) { return (out << o.toString()); }
 
         static Ordering make(const BSONObj& obj) {
             unsigned b = 0;
diff --git a/bson/util/builder.h b/bson/util/builder.h
index e7c1044b9a0..dc15f8960b8 100644
--- a/bson/util/builder.h
+++ b/bson/util/builder.h
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ namespace mongo {
 
     class StringBuilder {
     public:
-        explicit StringBuilder( int initsize=256 )
+        StringBuilder( int initsize=256 )
             : _buf( initsize ){
         }
 
@@ -188,18 +188,16 @@ namespace mongo {
         }
 #undef SBNUM
 
-        void append( const char * str){
-            append(str, strlen(str));
-        }
-        void append( const char * str, int len){
-            memcpy( _buf.grow( len ) , str , len );
+        void append( const char * str ){
+            int x = (int) strlen( str );
+            memcpy( _buf.grow( x ) , str , x );
         }
         StringBuilder& operator<<( const char * str ){
-            append( str, strlen(str) );
+            append( str );
             return *this;
         }
         StringBuilder& operator<<( const std::string& s ){
-            append( s.c_str(), s.size() );
+            append( s.c_str() );
             return *this;
         }
         
diff --git a/client/dbclient.cpp b/client/dbclient.cpp
index 0086fc83766..b4b7fb890c4 100644
--- a/client/dbclient.cpp
+++ b/client/dbclient.cpp
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ namespace mongo {
         case MASTER: {
             DBClientConnection * c = new DBClientConnection(true);
             log(2) << "creating new connection to:" << _servers[0] << endl;
-            if ( ! c->connect( _servers[0].toString() , errmsg ) ) {
+            if ( ! c->connect( _servers[0] , errmsg ) ) {
                 delete c;
                 return 0;
             }
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ namespace mongo {
             
         case SET: {
             DBClientPaired *p = new DBClientPaired();
-            if( !p->connect( _servers[0].toString() , _servers[1].toString() ) ){
+            if( !p->connect( _servers[0] , _servers[1] ) ){
                 delete p;
                 errmsg = "connect failed";
                 return 0;
diff --git a/client/dbclient.h b/client/dbclient.h
index 18ececbe985..8e7fc066320 100644
--- a/client/dbclient.h
+++ b/client/dbclient.h
@@ -129,7 +129,9 @@ namespace mongo {
             return _string;
         }
         
-        friend ostream& operator << (ostream& out, const ConnectionString& cs) { return (out << cs.toString()); }
+        operator string() const {
+            return toString();
+        }
         
         DBClientBase* connect( string& errmsg ) const;
 
@@ -267,7 +269,7 @@ namespace mongo {
         bool isExplain() const;
         
         string toString() const;
-        friend ostream& operator << (ostream& out, const Query& q) { return (out << q.toString()); }
+        operator string() const { return toString(); }
     private:
         void makeComplex();
         template< class T >
diff --git a/client/parallel.h b/client/parallel.h
index 5be041eb56f..5bee6b89339 100644
--- a/client/parallel.h
+++ b/client/parallel.h
@@ -54,7 +54,9 @@ namespace mongo {
             return ss.str();
         }
 
-        friend ostream& operator << (ostream& out, const ServerAndQuery& sq) { return (out << sq.toString()); }
+        operator string() const {
+            return toString();
+        }
 
         string _server;
         BSONObj _extra;
diff --git a/db/cloner.cpp b/db/cloner.cpp
index 517359132bc..5859b04cd99 100644
--- a/db/cloner.cpp
+++ b/db/cloner.cpp
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ namespace mongo {
                 cmdSpec << "logSizeMb" << logSizeMb;
             BSONObj info;
             if ( !conn->runCommand( db, cmdSpec.done(), info ) ) {
-                errmsg = "logCollection failed: " + info.toString();
+                errmsg = "logCollection failed: " + (string)info;
                 return false;
             }
         }
@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ namespace mongo {
             dbtemprelease t;
             BSONObj info;
             if ( !conn->runCommand( db, BSON( "logCollection" << ns << "validateComplete" << 1 ), info ) ) {
-                errmsg = "logCollection failed: " + info.toString();
+                errmsg = "logCollection failed: " + (string)info;
                 return false;
             }
         }
@@ -642,7 +642,7 @@ namespace mongo {
                 if ( !authConn_->connect( fromhost, errmsg ) )
                     return false;
                 if( !authConn_->runCommand( "admin", BSON( "getnonce" << 1 ), ret ) ) {
-                    errmsg = "couldn't get nonce " + ret.toString();
+                    errmsg = "couldn't get nonce " + string( ret );
                     return false;
                 }
             }
@@ -692,7 +692,7 @@ namespace mongo {
                 {
                     dbtemprelease t;
                     if ( !authConn_->runCommand( fromdb, BSON( "authenticate" << 1 << "user" << username << "nonce" << nonce << "key" << key ), ret ) ) {
-                        errmsg = "unable to login " + ret.toString();
+                        errmsg = "unable to login " + string( ret );
                         return false;
                     }
                 }
diff --git a/db/curop.h b/db/curop.h
index 4c9457775d0..ad86716f283 100644
--- a/db/curop.h
+++ b/db/curop.h
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ namespace mongo {
             return _progressMeter;
         }
         
-        string getMessage() const { return _message.toString(); }
+        string getMessage() const { return _message; }
         ProgressMeter& getProgressMeter() { return _progressMeter; }
 
         friend class Client;
diff --git a/db/dbcommands.cpp b/db/dbcommands.cpp
index d4ed00aabcb..2654084c1da 100644
--- a/db/dbcommands.cpp
+++ b/db/dbcommands.cpp
@@ -721,7 +721,7 @@ namespace mongo {
                     int idxId = d->findIndexByKeyPattern( f.embeddedObject() );
                     if ( idxId < 0 ){
                         errmsg = "can't find index with key:";
-                        errmsg += f.embeddedObject().toString();
+                        errmsg += f.embeddedObject();
                         return false;
                     }
                     else {
@@ -1261,7 +1261,7 @@ namespace mongo {
             if ( !client.runCommand( dbname ,
                                     BSON( "cloneCollectionAsCapped" << from << "toCollection" << ( from + ".$temp_convertToCapped" ) << "size" << double( size ) ),
                                     info ) ) {
-                errmsg = "cloneCollectionAsCapped failed: " + info.toString();
+                errmsg = "cloneCollectionAsCapped failed: " + string(info);
                 return false;
             }
 
@@ -1274,7 +1274,7 @@ namespace mongo {
                                     BSON( "renameCollection" << ( dbname + "." + from + ".$temp_convertToCapped" ) 
                                           << "to" << ( dbname + "." + from ) ),
                                     info ) ) {
-                errmsg = "renameCollection failed: " + info.toString();
+                errmsg = "renameCollection failed: " + string(info);
                 return false;
             }
 
diff --git a/db/diskloc.h b/db/diskloc.h
index d289bb7ecc6..93ef78b7957 100644
--- a/db/diskloc.h
+++ b/db/diskloc.h
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ namespace mongo {
             ss << hex << fileNo << ':' << ofs;
             return ss.str();
         }
-        friend ostream& operator << (ostream& out, const DiskLoc& dl) { return (out << dl.toString()); }
+        operator string() const { return toString(); }
 
         BSONObj toBSONObj() const {
             return BSON( "file" << fileNo << "offset" << ofs );
diff --git a/db/geo/2d.cpp b/db/geo/2d.cpp
index 8cfa485cc89..31b5d4d2a2f 100644
--- a/db/geo/2d.cpp
+++ b/db/geo/2d.cpp
@@ -277,7 +277,9 @@ namespace mongo {
             return buf.str();
         }
         
-        friend ostream& operator << (ostream& out, const Point& p) { return (out << p.toString()); }
+        operator string() const {
+            return toString();
+        }
 
         bool between( double min , double max , double val , double fudge=0) const {
             return val + fudge >= min && val <= max + fudge;
diff --git a/db/index.h b/db/index.h
index 27a4682bbf1..b70a6bc3aa9 100644
--- a/db/index.h
+++ b/db/index.h
@@ -131,7 +131,9 @@ namespace mongo {
         
         const IndexSpec& getSpec() const;
 
-        friend ostream& operator << (ostream& out, const IndexDetails& id) { return (out << id.info.obj().toString()); }
+        operator string() const {
+            return info.obj().toString();
+        }
     };
 
     struct IndexChanges/*on an update*/ {
diff --git a/db/namespace.cpp b/db/namespace.cpp
index cd054b7c00f..d9f0e2ae9c1 100644
--- a/db/namespace.cpp
+++ b/db/namespace.cpp
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ namespace mongo {
     static void namespaceGetNamespacesCallback( const Namespace& k , NamespaceDetails& v , void * extra ) {
         list<string> * l = (list<string>*)extra;
         if ( ! k.hasDollarSign() )
-            l->push_back( k.toString() );
+            l->push_back( (string)k );
     }
 
     void NamespaceIndex::getNamespaces( list<string>& tofill , bool onlyCollections ) const {
diff --git a/db/namespace.h b/db/namespace.h
index 407d185bfcc..8f888212158 100644
--- a/db/namespace.h
+++ b/db/namespace.h
@@ -139,8 +139,8 @@ namespace mongo {
             return old + "." + local;
         }
 
-        string toString() const {
-            return buf;
+        operator string() const {
+            return (string)buf;
         }
 
         char buf[MaxNsLen];
diff --git a/db/repl.h b/db/repl.h
index 01c3860ffed..c2d1afd443a 100644
--- a/db/repl.h
+++ b/db/repl.h
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ namespace mongo {
         bool operator==(const ReplSource&r) const {
             return hostName == r.hostName && sourceName() == r.sourceName();
         }
-        string toString() const { return sourceName() + "@" + hostName; }
+        operator string() const { return sourceName() + "@" + hostName; }
         
         bool haveMoreDbsToSync() const { return !addDbNextPass.empty(); }        
         int sleepAdvice() const {
diff --git a/dbtests/jstests.cpp b/dbtests/jstests.cpp
index 73cadf2a96a..0b664f1c082 100644
--- a/dbtests/jstests.cpp
+++ b/dbtests/jstests.cpp
@@ -632,7 +632,7 @@ namespace JSTests {
     private:
         void check( const BSONObj &one, const BSONObj &two ) {
             if ( one.woCompare( two ) != 0 ) {
-                static string fail = string( "Assertion failure expected " ) + one.toString() + ", got " + two.toString();
+                static string fail = string( "Assertion failure expected " ) + string( one ) + ", got " + string( two );
                 FAIL( fail.c_str() );
             }
         }
diff --git a/dbtests/queryoptimizertests.cpp b/dbtests/queryoptimizertests.cpp
index 1764fee82f5..c3dfe720826 100644
--- a/dbtests/queryoptimizertests.cpp
+++ b/dbtests/queryoptimizertests.cpp
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ namespace QueryOptimizerTests {
         public:
             virtual ~DiffBase() {}
             void run() {
-                FieldRangeSet frs( "", fromjson( obj().toString() ) );
+                FieldRangeSet frs( "", fromjson( obj() ) );
                 FieldRange ret = frs.range( "a" );
                 ret -= frs.range( "b" );
                 check( ret );                
diff --git a/s/chunk.cpp b/s/chunk.cpp
index 0eca81b89e7..b4b3bb237ec 100644
--- a/s/chunk.cpp
+++ b/s/chunk.cpp
@@ -794,7 +794,7 @@ namespace mongo {
         for ( set<Shard>::iterator i=seen.begin(); i!=seen.end(); i++ ){
             ScopedDbConnection conn( *i );
             BSONObj res;
-            if ( ! setShardVersion( conn.conn() , _ns , SCV(0) , true , res ) )
+            if ( ! setShardVersion( conn.conn() , _ns , 0 , true , res ) )
                 throw UserException( 8071 , (string)"OH KNOW, cleaning up after drop failed: " + res.toString() );
             conn.done();
         }
@@ -898,7 +898,7 @@ namespace mongo {
         rwlock lk( _lock , false ); 
         // TODO: cache or something?
         
-        ShardChunkVersion max(0);
+        ShardChunkVersion max = 0;
 
         for ( ChunkMap::const_iterator i=_chunkMap.begin(); i!=_chunkMap.end(); ++i ){
             ChunkPtr c = i->second;
@@ -917,7 +917,7 @@ namespace mongo {
     }
     
     ShardChunkVersion ChunkManager::getVersion_inlock() const{
-        ShardChunkVersion max(0);
+        ShardChunkVersion max = 0;
         
         for ( ChunkMap::const_iterator i=_chunkMap.begin(); i!=_chunkMap.end(); ++i ){
             ChunkPtr c = i->second;
diff --git a/s/chunk.h b/s/chunk.h
index 08b3813ed82..5b4d02b39fb 100644
--- a/s/chunk.h
+++ b/s/chunk.h
@@ -49,11 +49,11 @@ namespace mongo {
             unsigned long long _combined;
         };
         
-        explicit ShardChunkVersion( int major=0, int minor=0 )
+        ShardChunkVersion( int major=0, int minor=0 )
             : _minor(minor),_major(major){
         }
         
-        explicit ShardChunkVersion( unsigned long long ll )
+        ShardChunkVersion( unsigned long long ll )
             : _combined( ll ){
         }
         
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ namespace mongo {
         }
         
         operator unsigned long long() const { return _combined; }
-        friend ostream& operator << (ostream& out, const ShardChunkVersion& scv){ return (out << scv.toString()); }
+        operator string() const { return toString(); }
 
         ShardChunkVersion& operator=( const BSONElement& elem ){
             switch ( elem.type() ){
@@ -98,8 +98,6 @@ namespace mongo {
             return *this;
         }
     };
-
-    typedef ShardChunkVersion SCV; // shortcut for constructors
     
     typedef shared_ptr<Chunk> ChunkPtr;
 
@@ -139,6 +137,7 @@ namespace mongo {
         bool contains( const BSONObj& obj ) const;
 
         string toString() const;
+        operator string() const { return toString(); }
         friend ostream& operator << (ostream& out, const Chunk& c){ return (out << c.toString()); }
 
         bool operator==(const Chunk& s) const;
@@ -182,7 +181,7 @@ namespace mongo {
         bool moveAndCommit( const Shard& to , string& errmsg );
 
         const char * getNS(){ return "config.chunks"; }
-        void serialize(BSONObjBuilder& to, ShardChunkVersion myLastMod=SCV(0));
+        void serialize(BSONObjBuilder& to, ShardChunkVersion myLastMod=0);
         void unserialize(const BSONObj& from);
         string modelServer();
         
@@ -345,7 +344,7 @@ namespace mongo {
         void save();
 
         string toString() const;
-        friend ostream& operator<<(ostream& out, const ChunkManager& cm) { return (out << cm.toString()); }
+        operator string() const { return toString(); }
 
         ShardChunkVersion getVersion( const Shard& shard ) const;
         ShardChunkVersion getVersion() const;
diff --git a/s/shard.h b/s/shard.h
index dec2bc8a828..be2878d7d3a 100644
--- a/s/shard.h
+++ b/s/shard.h
@@ -152,15 +152,15 @@ namespace mongo {
         
         ShardStatus( const Shard& shard , const BSONObj& obj );
 
-        string toString() const {
-            stringstream ss;
-            ss << *this;
-            return ss.str();
+        friend ostream& operator << (ostream& out, const ShardStatus& s) {
+            out << (string)s;
+            return out;
         }
 
-        friend ostream& operator << (ostream& out, const ShardStatus& ss){
-            out << "shard: " << ss._shard << " mapped: " << ss._mapped << " writeLock: " << ss._writeLock; 
-            return out;
+        operator string() const {
+            stringstream ss;
+            ss << "shard: " << _shard << " mapped: " << _mapped << " writeLock: " << _writeLock; 
+            return ss.str();
         }
 
         bool operator<( const ShardStatus& other ) const{
diff --git a/s/shardkey.h b/s/shardkey.h
index be693299c98..80d49fce87a 100644
--- a/s/shardkey.h
+++ b/s/shardkey.h
@@ -104,8 +104,8 @@ namespace mongo {
          */
         bool isPrefixOf( const BSONObj& otherPattern ) const;
         
-        friend ostream& operator << (ostream& out, const ShardKeyPattern& pattern){
-            return (out << pattern.toString());
+        operator string() const {
+            return pattern.toString();
         }
     private:
         BSONObj pattern;
diff --git a/s/strategy.cpp b/s/strategy.cpp
index e524f687856..37ce28d7950 100644
--- a/s/strategy.cpp
+++ b/s/strategy.cpp
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ namespace mongo {
         if ( ! conf )
             return false;
         
-        ShardChunkVersion version(0);
+        ShardChunkVersion version = 0;
         unsigned long long officialSequenceNumber = 0;
 
         ChunkManagerPtr manager;
diff --git a/util/array.h b/util/array.h
index e4822a15300..e285139d451 100644
--- a/util/array.h
+++ b/util/array.h
@@ -86,10 +86,9 @@ namespace mongo {
                 return _it->_data[_pos];
             }
             
-            friend ostream& operator << (ostream& out, const iterator& i) { return (out << i._pos); }
-            string toString() const {
+            operator string() const {
                 stringstream ss;
-                ss << *this;
+                ss << _pos;
                 return ss.str();
             }
         private:
diff --git a/util/assert_util.h b/util/assert_util.h
index a241575b034..67b8c83f7dc 100644
--- a/util/assert_util.h
+++ b/util/assert_util.h
@@ -93,13 +93,7 @@ namespace mongo {
 
         void append( BSONObjBuilder& b , const char * m = "$err" , const char * c = "code" ) const ;
         
-        friend ostream& operator << (ostream& out, const ExceptionInfo& ei) { return (out << "exception: " << ei.code << " " << ei.msg); }
-
-        string toString() const{
-            stringstream ss;
-            ss << (*this);
-            return ss.str();
-        }
+        operator string() const { stringstream ss; ss << "exception: " << code << " " << msg; return ss.str(); }
 
         bool empty() const { return msg.empty(); }
                 
@@ -125,7 +119,7 @@ namespace mongo {
             return ss.str();
         }
         
-        friend ostream& operator << (ostream& out, const DBException& e) { return (out << e.toString()); }
+        operator string() const { return toString(); }
         
         const ExceptionInfo& getInfo() const { return _ei; }
 
diff --git a/util/goodies.h b/util/goodies.h
index 3023c1c8550..e7b700932f6 100644
--- a/util/goodies.h
+++ b/util/goodies.h
@@ -601,13 +601,11 @@ namespace mongo {
             _buf = 0;
         }
         
-        string toString() const {
+        operator string() const {
             string s = _buf;
             return s;
         }
 
-        operator string() const { return toString(); }
-
         ThreadSafeString& operator=( const char * str ){
             size_t s = strlen(str);
             if ( s >= _size - 2 )
diff --git a/util/hostandport.h b/util/hostandport.h
index a6256166d68..6b2eb3b6c9c 100644
--- a/util/hostandport.h
+++ b/util/hostandport.h
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ namespace mongo {
         // @returns host:port
         string toString() const; 
 
-        friend ostream& operator << (ostream& out, const HostAndPort& hp) { return (out << hp.toString()); }
+        operator string() const { return toString(); }
 
         string host() const { return _host; }
 
diff --git a/util/httpclient.cpp b/util/httpclient.cpp
index 0aeca280740..4f78029f36e 100644
--- a/util/httpclient.cpp
+++ b/util/httpclient.cpp
@@ -108,11 +108,11 @@ namespace mongo {
         
         StringBuilder sb;
         if ( result )
-            sb << (const char*)buf;
+            sb << buf;
         
         while ( ( got = p.unsafe_recv( buf , 4096 ) ) > 0){
             if ( result )
-                sb << (const char*)buf;
+                sb << buf;
         }
 
         if ( result ){
diff --git a/util/log.h b/util/log.h
index 57caff5be66..8a26bd8f6a9 100644
--- a/util/log.h
+++ b/util/log.h
@@ -57,17 +57,11 @@ namespace mongo {
     class LazyStringImpl : public LazyString {
     public:
         LazyStringImpl( const T &t ) : t_( t ) {}
-        virtual string val() const { return t_.toString(); }
+        virtual string val() const { return (string)t_; }
     private:
         const T& t_;
     };
 
-    inline StringBuilder& operator << (StringBuilder& out, const LazyString& ls) { return (out << ls.val()); }
-    template <typename T>
-    inline StringBuilder& operator << (StringBuilder& out, const T &t) {
-        return ( out << LazyStringImpl<T>(t).val() );
-    }
-
     class Tee { 
     public:
         virtual ~Tee(){}
@@ -80,9 +74,6 @@ namespace mongo {
             return *this;
         }
         virtual ~Nullstream() {}
-        virtual Nullstream& operator<<(string) {
-            return *this;
-        }
         virtual Nullstream& operator<<(const char *) {
             return *this;
         }
@@ -198,7 +189,6 @@ namespace mongo {
         }
 
         /** note these are virtual */
-        Logstream& operator<<(string x)     { ss << x; return *this; }
         Logstream& operator<<(const char *x) { ss << x; return *this; }
         Logstream& operator<<(char *x)       { ss << x; return *this; }
         Logstream& operator<<(char x)        { ss << x; return *this; }
diff --git a/util/optime.h b/util/optime.h
index 274ee51511f..5b0dc0f56c1 100644
--- a/util/optime.h
+++ b/util/optime.h
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ namespace mongo {
             ss << hex << secs << ':' << i;
             return ss.str();
         }
-        friend ostream& operator << (ostream& out, const OpTime& ot) { return (out << ot.toString()); }
+        operator string() const { return toString(); }
         bool operator==(const OpTime& r) const {
             return i == r.i && secs == r.secs;
         }
diff --git a/util/sock.h b/util/sock.h
index d94c6a16452..11948fad29d 100644
--- a/util/sock.h
+++ b/util/sock.h
@@ -155,7 +155,9 @@ namespace mongo {
             return out;
         }
 
-        friend ostream& operator << (ostream& out, const SockAddr& sa) { return (out << sa.toString()); }
+        operator string() const{
+            return toString();
+        }
 
         // returns one of AF_INET, AF_INET6, or AF_UNIX
         sa_family_t getType() const {
diff --git a/util/util.cpp b/util/util.cpp
index 2b97b070970..4030e2d7d10 100644
--- a/util/util.cpp
+++ b/util/util.cpp
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ namespace mongo {
     }
 
     ostream& operator<<( ostream &s, const ThreadSafeString &o ){
-        s << o.toString();
+        s << (string)o;
         return s;
     }