> Learn to embrace the pain.
Judging by how much I suffered just to try to implement a sqrt function generically I think that is not an exclusive C++ thing.
> And yet converting code to Rust is hard.
Exactly, that is why many many projects will remain in C++ for a long long time.
Some projects will be coded in other languages, and stay in those languages. Wherever that language fizzles, the project will too.
Anybody who believes this ought to think it an excellent reason to stay away from C++. For actual software projects I mean. Obviously if you want a career writing books (like the one reviewed) or on the conference circuit, or training, or several other prospects, this is great news. C++ is a good language it which to charge somebody $1000 per day plus expenses to tell them what they already knew.
But if you actually write software, or worse, if you need software but that isn't really what you actually wanted to do just a necessity like farmers need to know how to drive a tractor, then this ought to put you off. C++ doesn't want to be your best choice, according to ncmncm anyway, it wants to be a trap you fall into and can't get out of. Run away!
So, the advice above is just to avoid all languages (which, by the evidence, he does, seeming to know nothing meaningful about any).
There is an exception, though. Projects in C have frequently transitioned to C++, often with great success, notably Gcc and Gdb.
For example, the current c++ project I work on (for a large company) has over 1.5 million lines of c++, spanning over 5,000 files, with business knowledge and bug fixes spanning over 30 years.
It's not going to get rewritten in anything else, and the same goes for large amounts of other business software.
The c++ will be staying c++.
I don’t say this out of any affinity for c++(check my other comments for details), rather because for business reasons, the core of this system will always be c++.
In fact we a currently embarking on a multi-million dollar project to upgrade the application to run in the cloud and one of our biggest challenges is finding qualified c++ candidates.
Despite that, due to the complexity and scope of the application and years of business knowledge captured in obscure parts of the code, there is no consideration for it to be rewritten in anything else.