[DougMerritt]

> I would assume Algol derivatives were already quite competitive, given that quite a few OS were implemented in them.

Yes, and PL/1 for systems programming in Multics and IBM systems, etc. (We won't count Burroughs since they literally designed the hardware to be programmed in Algol.)

That shows my comment was far too imprecise; it must have to do with different segments of the industry or something.

> back when coding for home computers, if performance was an issue, Assembly was the only option (Z80, 68000, x86).

Indeed.