My approach is, we can't say "Gavin, we're changing to deterministic wallets the first thing tomorrow" but we can tweak the existing client easily and make some impact now.
but we could implement deterministic wallets + wallet.dat
therefore we have a physical backup (for those so inclined) & a deterministic system can simply be applied overtop, without affecting the user or changing the way they use the system - except they now MUST make a password.
one more thing.
i discovered today my computer is/was infected with InstallMonetizer.exe - i believe this to be some kind of stealthcoin or wallet-stealer.
my wallet, being new @ all of this, is unencrypted to date.
now, it is totally possible somebody has a copy of my unencrypted wallet.dat
if i now encrypt it, does this protect me from them simply opening up my old (unencrypted) wallet and refreshing with any new transactions???
or will encrypting my wallet now, make their copy useless?
wat do?
new wallet.dat?
i only have 0.005 in the old one (from a faucet no less)