Java y C++, errores históricos?

El 3 de mayo de 1997, Bertrand Meyer escribió en un grupo Google:

Ten years ago or so, when object technology first captured the industry's attention, projects moved en masse to C++. This was not the right decision. Not that everything was bad with C++ (then it would not have attracted so many
people); it was simply not appropriate for serious software engineering. C++ was a transition technology, useful to make C developers and their managers object-aware, but not appropriate for the development of durable, high-quality software systems. Interestingly enough, this was clear to many people; virtually
every object-oriented expert would privately concede that C++ was an inadequate solution - but carefully refrain from saying so in public, for fear of appearing to go against the tide.
This is happening again with Java. Once again we have an approach that has some major contributions to make but is hyped as the solution to everything - and is not. (sigue...)

Con estas revulsivas ideas se inició una discusión valiosa, con decenas y decenas de participantes, algunos de ellos fundamentales, como Bjarne Stroustrup o el mismo Bertrand Meyer con sólidos argumentos, que, cualquiera sea la posición de cada uno, sirve para aprender. Estamos en 2005, y la línea de discusión sigue: C++ y Java siguen en foco, sus puntos débiles son conocidos, y Eiffel también sigue en un segundo plano de adopción...
Si le interesa seguir la línea de discusión, o aportar su criterio...
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/comp.object/browse_frm/thread/2c6139ce13be9980/649217656063dab8