The C++03 equivalent to unique_ptr is boost::scoped_ptr. It has some corner cases that are not as elegant as unique_ptr, but it was still good enough for Google for many years, until C++11 was greenlit in production.
You're missing the point. I like unique_ptr. But pointer composition in general is a smell, and unique_ptr is at best a patch around that.
The whole notion of having to carefully manage ownership via syntax (seriously: try explaining to a python programmer why they have to use this insane "unique" thing just to store a reference to something) instead of via structure (put the object inside its owner) is just vile, aesthetically. And it's something that C++ nuts tend to be really bad about.
