> It is possible to write simple and obvious code in C++. A lot of people just choose not to. ;-)
You still need to be C++ fluent enough to be able to read other people's code. And it's not like everybody has the same definition of "simple and obvious".
> And it's not like everybody has the same definition of "simple and obvious".
That is a very good point. I had an interesting discussion with a Perl programmer once regarding the use of Perl's default variable $_ - to him, code that relied heavily on it was straightforward and readable. But to a newcomer, it can be very tricky to figure out what is going on. And even to an experienced Perl programmer, it can increase the mental overhead of parsing code significantly if s/he is not used to it.
For better or worse, languages that put am emphasis on readable code tend to remain not-so-popular. Python is an example, but Ada or Pascal are relatively unpopular these days.
But that is one thing I like about Go, because "idiomatic" Go code tends to be very straightforward and readable.
I mean C++ isn't going to disappear anytime too soon, but I like where we're headed with language design. Python isn't just popular, it's monumentally popular, and I think that's a great sign. In my eyes, Ada and Pascal aren't missed, precisely because there are better choices for new projects.
I love what they've done with Go from my experience with it so far, they hit the target on a number of design fronts.