I have never been involved in writing kernel-level software, software for microcontrollers, or game development, so I think I just never got to harness full power of C/C++ in it's natural sphere of application. My only encounter with C++ apart from university was with "full blown enterprise application with rich UI" (although it did use some 3D data visualization), and I guess this took it's part in forming my bias against it :-D

In short, I think there are way better alternatives for .NET developer then C++. Speaking for myself, if I ever was to move away from .NET, it would only be to another "managed" language - Java, Python, Ruby, PHP, etc. Java still scores #1 on Tiobe index after all, and I don't see it changing anytime soon. It feels almost like C# 2.0 ;P so it won't be too hard moving to Java and Android development, I would miss LINQ dearly tho :( . I agree wholeheartedly on the definition of C++ as crude tool which is still perfectly viable to create masterpieces with. The problem is, that it's way too easy to become addicted to comfortable refined tools and become dependent on them. Moving from .NET to C++ feels like moving from comfortable city apartment with electric lights, hot water and other conveniences along with modern city infrastructure to stone cave in a middle of wilderness with only wooden stick in hands :) I know the language, and if asked to write something in C++, I will do it and will try my best to do it good - but I will hate every moment of writing C++ code with a passion. The only "native" language I will ever try is Objective-C (Josh Smith's experience on the matter is quite encouraging), and this is only if someone gives me iMac AND iPhone as a gift, because Apple computers are ridiculosuly overpriced in my country. Android development has one distinct advantage over iOS development tho - if Google does something incredibly stupid and kills Android and/or abandons Java, you can still just go and write Java elsewhere, while Obj-C is neither wanted nor needed by anyone outside of Apple and I have a distinct feeling that people are only using it because it's the only option for iOS developemnt (read: because Apple forces it down their throats ;P ) and they will be happy to forget it when/if Apple ship drowns.