Speaking as a professional C++ developer, one difference is that Microsoft has actually improved some of their products. Even if C++0x comes out this year, how long 'til it gets support? Consider that C99 is still considered to be reasonably cutting edge 10 years later and many parts of C++98 are still avoided due to portability and implementation problems.

Meanwhile, lots of high-level alternatives are getting better and are becoming more and more suitable in more places where C++ once reigned, so as C++ programmers get experience in more languages, the blub paradox is no longer keeping us as happy.

I work in games, and I don't see C++ going away anytime soon, though other languages are getting more and more use even now. But C++, as a language, is painful to use, especially when it's as restricted as it is for performance and portability reasons.