Only very basic knowledge of C++ is required for this recipe.

To avoid such situations, the boost::noncopyable class was invented. If you derive your own class from it, the copy constructor and assignment operator won't be generated by the C++ compiler:

#include <boost/noncopyable.hpp> 

class descriptor_owner_fixed : private boost::noncopyable { 
    // ... 

Now, the user won't be able to do bad things:

void i_am_good() {
    descriptor_owner_fixed d1("O_o"); 
    descriptor_owner_fixed d2("^_^"); 

    // Won't compile 
    d2 = d1; 

    // Won't compile either 
    descriptor_owner_fixed d3(d1); 
}

A refined reader will note that we can achieve exactly the same result by:

Yes, you are correct. Depending on the abilities of your compiler, boost::noncopyable class chooses the best way to make the class noncopyable.

boost::noncopyable also serves as a good documentation for your class. It never raises questions such as "Is the copy constructor body defined elsewhere?" or "Does it have a nonstandard copy constructor (with a non-const referenced parameter)?"