I'm just an observer of Java, and where Microsoft wants to go with C# is too early to tell.

From an operating system research point of view, Unix is if not dead certainly old stuff, and it's clear that people should be looking beyond it.

Sometimes when you fill a vacuum, it still sucks.

C is declining somewhat in usage compared to C++, and maybe Java, but perhaps even more compared to higher-level scripting languages. It's still fairly strong for the basic system-type things.

At least for the people who send me mail about a new language that they're designing, the general advice is: do it to learn about how to write a compiler

For books, I don't read much fiction, but like travel essays and good pop-science.

I've done a reasonable amount of travelling, which I enjoyed, but not for too long at a time. I'm a home-body and get fatigued by it fairly soon, but enjoy thinking back on experiences when I've returned and then often wish I'd arranged a longer stay in the somewhat exotic place.