diff --git a/test/demo/type_erasure_shared_pointer_value_manager.cpp b/test/demo/type_erasure_shared_pointer_value_manager.cpp
index a8459db..3b39252 100644
--- a/test/demo/type_erasure_shared_pointer_value_manager.cpp
+++ b/test/demo/type_erasure_shared_pointer_value_manager.cpp
@@ -3,16 +3,105 @@
 #include "zoo/FunctionPolicy.h"
 
 #include <catch2/catch.hpp>
+#include <sstream>
+
+// Primary template: defaults to false
+template <typename, typename = void>
+struct ExclusiveAwareTrait: std::false_type {};
+
+// Specialization: if T has T::ExclusiveAware, this will match and be true
+template <typename T>
+struct ExclusiveAwareTrait<T, std::void_t<typename T::ExclusiveAware>>: std::true_type {};
+
+
+struct MyCoolStruct {
+    struct ExclusiveAware {};
+};
+
+static_assert(ExclusiveAwareTrait<int>::value == false);
+static_assert(ExclusiveAwareTrait<MyCoolStruct>::value);
+
+
+struct StringInputOutput {
+    struct VTableEntry {
+        std::string (*str)(const void *);
+        void (*fromString)(void *, const std::string &);
+    };
+
+    template<typename>
+    constexpr static inline VTableEntry Default = {
+        [](const void *) { return std::string(); },
+        [](void *, const std::string &) {}
+    };
+
+    template<typename ConcreteValueManager>
+    constexpr static inline VTableEntry Operation = {
+        [](const void *container) {
+            auto c = const_cast<void *>(container);
+            auto cvm = static_cast<ConcreteValueManager *>(c);
+            std::ostringstream oss;
+            oss << *cvm->value();
+            return oss.str();
+        },
+        [] (void *container, const std::string &str) {
+            auto c = const_cast<void *>(container);
+            auto cvm = static_cast<ConcreteValueManager *>(c);
+
+            if constexpr (ExclusiveAwareTrait<ConcreteValueManager>::value) {
+                if (!cvm->isExclusive()) {
+                    cvm->makeExclusive();
+                }
+            }
+
+            std::istringstream iss{str};
+            iss >> *cvm->value();
+        },
+    };
+
+    // No extra state/functions needed in the memory layout
+    template<typename Container>
+    struct Mixin {};
+
+    template<typename AnyC>
+    struct UserAffordance {
+
+        std::string stringize() const {
+            auto container =
+                const_cast<AnyC *>(static_cast<const AnyC *>(this))->container();
+            return container->template vTable<StringInputOutput>()->str(container);
+        }
+
+        auto fromString(const std::string &str) {
+            auto container = static_cast<AnyC *>(this)->container();
+            auto vt = container->template vTable<StringInputOutput>();
+            vt->fromString(container, str);
+        }
+    };
+};
+
 
 namespace user {
 
 template<typename V, typename Policy>
 auto extractSharedPointer(zoo::AnyContainer<Policy> &a) {
     using VBuilder = typename Policy::template Builder<V>;
-    auto downcasted = static_cast<VBuilder *>(a.container());
-    return downcasted->sharedPointer();
+    auto valueManager = static_cast<VBuilder *>(a.container());
+    return valueManager->sharedPointer();
+}
+
+template<typename V, typename Policy>
+auto isExclusive(zoo::AnyContainer<Policy> &a) {
+    if constexpr (SharedPointerOptIn<V>::value) {
+        using VBuilder = typename Policy::template Builder<V>;
+        auto valueManager = static_cast<VBuilder *>(a.container());
+        return valueManager->isExclusive();
+    }
+
+    return true;
 }
 
+
+
 }
 
 using LocalBuffer = void *[4];
@@ -21,26 +110,70 @@ static_assert(sizeof(std::shared_ptr<int>) <= sizeof(LocalBuffer));
 using UAny = zoo::AnyContainer<
     user::SharedPointerPolicy<
         LocalBuffer,
-        zoo::Destroy, zoo::Move, zoo::Copy, zoo::RTTI
+        zoo::Destroy, zoo::Move, zoo::RTTI
     >
 >;
 
+
 TEST_CASE("Shared Pointer Value Manager", "[demo][type-erasure][shared-pointer-policy]") {
-    UAny uAny{9.9};
-    CHECK(9.9 == *uAny.state<double>());
-    user::ExplicitDestructor ed;
-    REQUIRE(nullptr == user::ExplicitDestructor::last);
-    uAny = ed;
-    CHECK(nullptr == user::ExplicitDestructor::last);
-    REQUIRE(typeid(user::ExplicitDestructor) == uAny.type());
-    auto spp = user::extractSharedPointer<user::ExplicitDestructor>(uAny);
-    auto sp = *spp;
-    REQUIRE(2 == sp.use_count());
-    CHECK(nullptr == user::ExplicitDestructor::last);
-    const auto oldAddress = uAny.state<user::ExplicitDestructor>();
-    REQUIRE(oldAddress == &*sp);
-    sp.reset();
-    REQUIRE(1 == spp->use_count());
-    uAny = 5;
-    REQUIRE(oldAddress == user::ExplicitDestructor::last);
+    SECTION("shared pointer value management basics") {
+        UAny uAny{9.9};
+        CHECK(9.9 == *uAny.state<double>());
+
+        REQUIRE(user::isExclusive<double>(uAny));
+
+        user::ExplicitDestructor ed;
+        REQUIRE(nullptr == user::ExplicitDestructor::last);
+        uAny = ed;
+        CHECK(nullptr == user::ExplicitDestructor::last);
+        REQUIRE(typeid(user::ExplicitDestructor) == uAny.type());
+        auto spp = user::extractSharedPointer<user::ExplicitDestructor>(uAny);
+        auto sp = *spp;
+
+        REQUIRE(2 == sp.use_count());
+
+        REQUIRE(! user::isExclusive<user::ExplicitDestructor>(uAny));
+
+        CHECK(nullptr == user::ExplicitDestructor::last);
+        const auto oldAddress = uAny.state<user::ExplicitDestructor>();
+        REQUIRE(oldAddress == &*sp);
+        sp.reset();
+        REQUIRE(user::isExclusive<user::ExplicitDestructor>(uAny));
+
+        uAny = 5;
+        REQUIRE(oldAddress == user::ExplicitDestructor::last);
+    }
+
+    SECTION("roundtrip io affordance") {
+       using IOType = zoo::AnyContainer<zoo::Policy<LocalBuffer, zoo::Destroy, zoo::Move, StringInputOutput>>;
+       IOType io = 8;
+       REQUIRE("8" == io.stringize());
+       io.fromString("42");
+       REQUIRE(42 == *io.state<int>());
+    }
+
+    SECTION("copy on write") {
+        using CopyOnWritable = zoo::AnyContainer<user::SharedPointerPolicy<LocalBuffer, zoo::Destroy, zoo::Move, zoo::Copy, StringInputOutput>>;
+
+        CopyOnWritable a = std::string{"foo"};
+        auto aState = a.state<std::string>();
+        REQUIRE("foo" == *aState);
+
+        REQUIRE(user::isExclusive<std::string>(a));
+
+        auto b = a;
+        REQUIRE(!user::isExclusive<std::string>(a));
+        // proves that a and b share the same object
+        REQUIRE(aState == b.state<std::string>());
+        // now we're going to write to b! then the copy must happen.
+        b.fromString("bar");
+
+        REQUIRE(user::isExclusive<std::string>(a));
+        REQUIRE(user::isExclusive<std::string>(b));
+
+        auto bState = b.state<std::string>();
+        REQUIRE(aState != bState);
+        REQUIRE("foo" == *aState);
+        REQUIRE("bar" == *bState);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/test/inc/demo/type_erasure_shared_pointer_value_manager.hpp b/test/inc/demo/type_erasure_shared_pointer_value_manager.hpp
index d7b0760..9f32f20 100644
--- a/test/inc/demo/type_erasure_shared_pointer_value_manager.hpp
+++ b/test/inc/demo/type_erasure_shared_pointer_value_manager.hpp
@@ -13,11 +13,17 @@ struct ExplicitDestructor {
 
 template<typename>
 struct SharedPointerOptIn: std::false_type {};
+
 template<>
 struct SharedPointerOptIn<int>: std::true_type {};
+
 template<>
 struct SharedPointerOptIn<ExplicitDestructor>: std::true_type {};
 
+template<>
+struct SharedPointerOptIn<std::string>: std::true_type {};
+
+
 template<typename HoldingModel, typename... AffordanceSpecifications>
 struct UserValueManagement {
     /// abbreviation
@@ -37,9 +43,16 @@ struct UserValueManagement {
         using VP = std::shared_ptr<V>;
         /// Abbreviation
         using SPM = SharedPointerManager;
-        
 
+        struct ExclusiveAware {};
+
+        SharedPointerManager(): Base(&Operations) {
+            new(sharedPointer()) VP;
+        }
+
+        // not part of the end-user interface
         VP *sharedPointer() noexcept { return this->space_.template as<VP>(); }
+        // part of the end-user interface
         V *value() noexcept { return &**sharedPointer(); }
 
         const V *value() const noexcept {
@@ -57,27 +70,41 @@ struct UserValueManagement {
         }
 
         static void copyOp(void *to, const void *from) {
-            auto downcast = static_cast<const SPM *>(from);
-            new(to) SPM(*downcast);
+            auto downcast = static_cast<SPM *>(const_cast<void *>(from));
+            auto destValueManager = new(to) SPM;
+            *destValueManager->sharedPointer() = *downcast->sharedPointer();
         }
 
         constexpr static inline typename GP::VTable Operations = {
             AffordanceSpecifications::template Operation<SPM>...
         };
 
+        auto isExclusive() const noexcept {
+            auto sp = const_cast<SPM *>(this)->sharedPointer();
+            return 1 == sp->use_count();
+        }
+
+        auto makeExclusive() {
+            *sharedPointer() = std::make_shared<V>(*value());
+        }
+
+        // not user interface
         SharedPointerManager(SharedPointerManager &&donor) noexcept:
             Base(&Operations)
         {
             new(sharedPointer()) VP(std::move(*donor.sharedPointer()));
         }
 
-        SharedPointerManager(const SharedPointerManager &donor) noexcept:
-            Base(&Operations)
-        {
-            new(sharedPointer()) VP(*const_cast<SPM &>(donor).sharedPointer());
-        }
+        // not user interface
+//         SharedPointerManager(const SharedPointerManager &model) noexcept:
+//             Base(&Operations)
+//         {
+//             new(sharedPointer()) VP(*const_cast<SPM &>(model).sharedPointer());
+//         }
+
 
 
+        // internal interface of Builder (important)
         template<typename... Args>
         SharedPointerManager(Args &&...args):
             Base(&Operations)
@@ -91,6 +118,7 @@ struct UserValueManagement {
     };
 
     struct AdaptedPolicy: GP::Policy {
+        // Builders is the old name to refer to what I now call "Value Manager"
         template<typename V>
         using Builder =
             std::conditional_t<