Looking at the graph it amazes me Microsoft has not tried to tackle this more directly. C# and Haskell only attack the application level, why was there never an effort from them to improve the system level?
Loosely, you're looking for a language where you can ensure that garbage collection won't happen and that assembly can be written. Those languages aren't popular these days. Then what's needed is some level of type safety and guarantees about efficient code generation. You should be able to reason quite well about the generated code. "No Magic" is the watchword of that land.
Rust is targeting the next level up from kernels, i.e., system utilities and performant applications. It's not really intended to write kernels, but I think it can get there with some careful work. It should, IMO, do reasonably well on more powerful embedded systems based around typical OS models, e.g., the RasPI.
Enhancing your own craft has a ceiling (that of the technology), advancing technology has none.
So my question is the same: Why programmers should try to eradicate C++?
Instead, let's consider this: Should we try to make C++ unnecessary? I think the answer is 'yes' and I don't think it's specific to C++. For all languages × all domains, I think the time should come that there is a fitting alternative language.
I personally love C/C++, write my guile scripts in vim, and see no reason to replace it.
Why? If you don't like it don't use it. There are enough people who are happy with C++ because it perfectly fits their domain.
And you can certainly write crappy Haskell too. It is hip to shit on C++, I get it. But for some types of software there is not a good alternative.
Pity the down vote isn't on the far right of the heading.
I think C++ was a bad idea from the start, because it attempts to be a strict superset of C, which is like trying to win a race while being tied to the current front runner. It might have allowed C++ to use the rope to get in front, but now its in front it just drags the language down.
I am trying to invent a good alternative, but obviously that is easier said than done. I like to talk about it openly and provocatively so others who are more qualified to do it might jump in and try too.
This is exactly it. As much as many people dislike C++, not having it at all would be very bad for some areas. Users of the next major systems language should regard C++ in much the same way as (willing) users of C++ regard C.
The takeaway here should be about how much better the future can be, not how bad the present looks. The former is hopefully much less controversial than the latter.