Sure, he earned his right to say it. But pretty much everyone has a right to speak their mind. That doesn't change the fact that this is an opinion, albeit on

Sure, he earned his right to say it. But pretty much everyone has a right to speak their mind. That doesn't change the fact that this is an opinion, albeit one from a creator of the field. Stroustrup says things all the time that I do not agree with. It's important to remember that appeal to authority is a logical fallacy -- just because he's well known doesn't mean he is necessarily correct. Also, as you mention, he is coming at things from a totally different perspective. He probably couldn't care less if everyone is unable to be productive in his favorite language, as long as it met his standards (which do not seem to include many practical or productivity concerns).