Really? printf is cool and useful for it's own domain. But there is a reason that languages provide interpolation. And the simplest possible example above is not one of those reasons.
I'm not going to bother convincing you that printf is not the highest form of string interpolation. Seems like you've got your bases covered pretty well.
I never said printf is the highest form, nor did i imply it. If you think i did imply that, and you consider it to be ridiculous, then it would behoove you to ask if i did mean to imply that or not; instead of assuming that your interpretation of my words is fact and i am being ridiculous.
I consider printf an acceptable form of string interpolation, nothing more.