Modern imperative languages are constantly adding elements from functional languages. For example, take C++ templates - template metaprogramming is a pure functional style of programming. C++ 1x has added lambdas. Also things like STL algorithms such as accumulate and for_each or boost::bind - are essentially functional programming. C++ 1x was to have concepts which was removed but will hopefully return in the next standard. C# has added async and await. So your "masses" cannot avoid functional programming - they will be forced to learn it - since all imperative languages are going in that direction.

The advent of multicore programming will force this issue. Functional programs are much easier to execute in parallel. C++ has Microsoft PPL or Intel Threads libraries which are essentially functional algorithms. parallel_for with a lambda is one of the most useful parallel programming techniques. The equivalent imperative program will be far more verbose and cumbersome.

I actually believe C++ with the addition of Concepts and pure functions will make a very useful functional language. Yes it will be much more verbose than Haskell. Everything is. But then we will be able to use imperative style where required and functional style everywhere else. The functional parts can be easily parallelized. They can throw exceptions with impunity. Of course, there are some issues as to what constitutes "pure objects" and how to work around C++'s lack of a garbage collector. However people are already working on it. I believe Andrei Alexandrescu was working on something similar for D, which may be adopted to C++.

F# is essentially OCaml for .Net, so you get the full access to the .Net library. Also the best thing about F#, in my opinion, is since it is a .Net language, you can mix and match it with C#. So you can use functional approach for most part of your program, yet drop to C# when you require.

Both his criticisms make no sense. Regarding his first (remaining 50% of the bar is taken up by buttons that nobody will ever use) - the space is already there. Do you want to use the space to put some useful commands, or do you leave it blank ? Obviously my choice would be to add some useful command. Empty space serves nothing.

The second criticism is even more nonsense. MS is not taking away the context menu or the hotkey - in fact if you read the blog, they are adding more shortcuts. They are only combining the command bar and menu bar into one and making it more prominent. Whats the harm in that ? It even has more vertical space!

KOTOR I and II were 2 of the best RPGs I have played. True that KOTOR 2's ending was botched up, but then it wasn't released by Bioware. I am really excited about this game - I haven't found a really good RPG recently after Witcher. Mass Effect and Dragon Age wasn't that good in my opinion.