[macavity23]

I don't like C++ as a language AT ALL, but the fact is, for cross-platform native app development, it's the only game in town unless you want to write C. Do you want your app (or some part of your app) to run on Windows/OSX/iOS/Android/Linux? Then you're writing it in C++.

It sucks, in many ways, but it's what we have.

[timtadh]

Actually, using Python or similar is pretty attractive option for Gui development. I know it isn't hip to use WxWindows or Qt4, but if you want a gui that works on all three major platforms Python + Qt4/Wx is a pretty good way to go. Salt this opinion with all the usual trade offs of using Python and the trade offs of not using a "native" toolkit.

[tomjen3]

Actually there is no reason not to use Objective C, since gcc can compile that too.

[pux0r3]

Sure there is. Primarily the requirement to have a runtime installed followed secondarily by the fact that many of the useful features are encapsulated in Apple specific libraries (or NeXT Step, although GNUStep takes care of that on many platforms).

Every other complaint I have against the language just stems from my familiarity with C++ and love of static typing (or compiler hints and syntactic niceties useful for writing high performance code - namely games).

[microtonal]

Because there is no class library that is multi-platform and integrates somewhat nicely into the platform. Yes, I know GNUStep, but it doesn't come close to e.g. Qt in terms of integration.

[profquail]

Or C#, which runs on all of the platforms you named and a few others as well.