For many, many years I coded in C. I've probably written more lines in C (including a C compiler port to a new chip architecture, an optimizing assemler, and a complete chip simulation system) than I will ever write in Perl. And yet I now use Perl for 75% of my personal and professional work. Why? Because C would not be appropriate. C++ even less so. The starting friction for C and C++ is much too high, and I've gotten too old to spend time fighting the language and its environment when I should be spending time fighting the problem. I'll take my garbage collection built-in, thank you very much.

Does this mean I distain C or C++? Hardly. They're the right choice in some situations. And the best of luck to people who choose to place themselves on those situations.