diff --git a/include/xo/stringtable2/DString.hpp b/include/xo/stringtable2/DString.hpp
index 75090f2..7d736a3 100644
--- a/include/xo/stringtable2/DString.hpp
+++ b/include/xo/stringtable2/DString.hpp
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <xo/alloc2/Allocator.hpp>
-#include <xo/alloc2/Collector.hpp>
+//#include <xo/alloc2/Collector.hpp>
 #include <xo/alloc2/GCObjectVisitor.hpp>
 #include <xo/facet/obj.hpp>
 #include <xo/indentlog/print/ppindentinfo.hpp>
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ namespace xo {
             /** xo allocator **/
             using AAllocator = xo::mm::AAllocator;
             /** garbage collector **/
-            using ACollector = xo::mm::ACollector;
+            //using ACollector = xo::mm::ACollector;
             /** object visitor (garbage collector proxy) **/
             using AGCObjectVisitor = xo::mm::AGCObjectVisitor;
             /** ppindentinfo for APrintable **/
@@ -245,10 +245,8 @@ namespace xo {
             /** @defgroup dstring-gcobject-methods gcobject facet methods **/
             ///@{
 
-            size_type shallow_size() const noexcept;
-
             /** clone string, using memory from allocator @p mm **/
-            DString * shallow_move(obj<ACollector> gc) noexcept;
+            DString * gco_shallow_move(obj<AGCObjectVisitor> gc) noexcept;
 
             /** fixup child pointers (trivial for DString, no children)
              *  note: cref so we can use forward decl
diff --git a/include/xo/stringtable2/DUniqueString.hpp b/include/xo/stringtable2/DUniqueString.hpp
index 7e3502b..27a364e 100644
--- a/include/xo/stringtable2/DUniqueString.hpp
+++ b/include/xo/stringtable2/DUniqueString.hpp
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ namespace xo {
             ///@{
 
             /** clone unique string, using memory from allocator @p mm. **/
-            DUniqueString * shallow_move(obj<ACollector> gc) noexcept;
+            DUniqueString * gco_shallow_move(obj<AGCObjectVisitor> gc) noexcept;
 
             /** fixup child pointers (trivial for DUniqueString, no gc-owned children **/
             void visit_gco_children(obj<AGCObjectVisitor> gc) noexcept;
diff --git a/include/xo/stringtable2/string/IGCObject_DString.hpp b/include/xo/stringtable2/string/IGCObject_DString.hpp
index 9248a89..f35b0a5 100644
--- a/include/xo/stringtable2/string/IGCObject_DString.hpp
+++ b/include/xo/stringtable2/string/IGCObject_DString.hpp
@@ -53,8 +53,9 @@ namespace xo {
             // const methods
 
             // non-const methods
-            /** move instance using collector **/
-            static Opaque shallow_move(DString & self, obj<ACollector> gc) noexcept;
+            /** move instance using object visitor.
+Arguably abusing the word 'visitor' here **/
+            static Opaque gco_shallow_move(DString & self, obj<AGCObjectVisitor> gc) noexcept;
             /** Invoke fn.visit_child(iface,data) for each child GCObject pointer.
 Context: provides address of data pointer so it can be updated in place
 when @p fn invokes garbage collector reentry point **/
diff --git a/include/xo/stringtable2/uniquestring/IGCObject_DUniqueString.hpp b/include/xo/stringtable2/uniquestring/IGCObject_DUniqueString.hpp
index 283af3a..5771e05 100644
--- a/include/xo/stringtable2/uniquestring/IGCObject_DUniqueString.hpp
+++ b/include/xo/stringtable2/uniquestring/IGCObject_DUniqueString.hpp
@@ -53,8 +53,9 @@ namespace xo {
             // const methods
 
             // non-const methods
-            /** move instance using collector **/
-            static Opaque shallow_move(DUniqueString & self, obj<ACollector> gc) noexcept;
+            /** move instance using object visitor.
+Arguably abusing the word 'visitor' here **/
+            static Opaque gco_shallow_move(DUniqueString & self, obj<AGCObjectVisitor> gc) noexcept;
             /** Invoke fn.visit_child(iface,data) for each child GCObject pointer.
 Context: provides address of data pointer so it can be updated in place
 when @p fn invokes garbage collector reentry point **/
diff --git a/src/stringtable2/DString.cpp b/src/stringtable2/DString.cpp
index 7bd16fb..1b9ce48 100644
--- a/src/stringtable2/DString.cpp
+++ b/src/stringtable2/DString.cpp
@@ -149,14 +149,8 @@ namespace xo {
             return this->size_;
         }
 
-        auto
-        DString::shallow_size() const noexcept -> size_type
-        {
-            return sizeof(DString) + capacity_;
-        }
-
         DString *
-        DString::shallow_move(obj<ACollector> gc) noexcept
+        DString::gco_shallow_move(obj<AGCObjectVisitor> gc) noexcept
         {
             // note: not using gc.std_move_for() here
             //       b/c DString flexible array means not move-constructible
diff --git a/src/stringtable2/DUniqueString.cpp b/src/stringtable2/DUniqueString.cpp
index 2660e5d..98371ad 100644
--- a/src/stringtable2/DUniqueString.cpp
+++ b/src/stringtable2/DUniqueString.cpp
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ namespace xo {
         }
 
         DUniqueString *
-        DUniqueString::shallow_move(obj<ACollector> gc) noexcept
+        DUniqueString::gco_shallow_move(obj<AGCObjectVisitor> gc) noexcept
         {
             // well-posed, but not expected to be used.
             //
diff --git a/src/stringtable2/IGCObject_DString.cpp b/src/stringtable2/IGCObject_DString.cpp
index f77077b..716c043 100644
--- a/src/stringtable2/IGCObject_DString.cpp
+++ b/src/stringtable2/IGCObject_DString.cpp
@@ -16,9 +16,9 @@
 namespace xo {
     namespace scm {
         auto
-        IGCObject_DString::shallow_move(DString & self, obj<ACollector> gc) noexcept -> Opaque
+        IGCObject_DString::gco_shallow_move(DString & self, obj<AGCObjectVisitor> gc) noexcept -> Opaque
         {
-            return self.shallow_move(gc);
+            return self.gco_shallow_move(gc);
         }
         auto
         IGCObject_DString::visit_gco_children(DString & self, obj<AGCObjectVisitor> fn) noexcept -> void
diff --git a/src/stringtable2/IGCObject_DUniqueString.cpp b/src/stringtable2/IGCObject_DUniqueString.cpp
index a259148..e43fc8b 100644
--- a/src/stringtable2/IGCObject_DUniqueString.cpp
+++ b/src/stringtable2/IGCObject_DUniqueString.cpp
@@ -16,9 +16,9 @@
 namespace xo {
     namespace scm {
         auto
-        IGCObject_DUniqueString::shallow_move(DUniqueString & self, obj<ACollector> gc) noexcept -> Opaque
+        IGCObject_DUniqueString::gco_shallow_move(DUniqueString & self, obj<AGCObjectVisitor> gc) noexcept -> Opaque
         {
-            return self.shallow_move(gc);
+            return self.gco_shallow_move(gc);
         }
         auto
         IGCObject_DUniqueString::visit_gco_children(DUniqueString & self, obj<AGCObjectVisitor> fn) noexcept -> void