Current compilers still generate huge binaries for code that makes excessive usage of templates; I've personally had to rip out a lot of heavily templated code

Current compilers still generate huge binaries for code that makes excessive usage of templates; I've personally had to rip out a lot of heavily templated code in the last year for that reason. They also still (with the Intel compiler as a notable exception) generate nonsensical error messages when templates are used heavily. The latter reason is one of many that a lot of C++ programmers don't do well with heavy template usage. One naturally could fault those programmers, and I think that's half-way fair, but in designing reusable APIs, API usability is and should be a concern. The corollary seems is obviously a bad principle when applied to (graphical) interfaces: if the users weren't so dumb it'd be easy to understand. I believe the same holds true, generally, for API design. Half-way related, I'm personally quite a fan of Designing Qt-style C++ APIs: http://doc.trolltech.com/qq/qq13-apis.html http://doc.trolltech.com/qq/qq13-apis.html As for "modernness" the point still stands; when some people say, "modern music" they mean "avant garde". Others mean "the stuff on the radio". I mean the stuff on the radio; Alexandrescu is the avante garde.