> Ada is "mainstream"? C++ "failed" in the 1990s?

Do you realize that this report is written in "electronic design", or an embedded systems journal? It's not talking about the PC desktop here.

I don't know the exact numbers but Ada still plays a big role in security critical systems (airplanes etc.).

> Managed languages lead to "applications that are difficult to maintain over time"?

I think this is true regarding to embedded systems because they evolve very fast. Microsoft would have to take much effort to be on par, for many different kinds of embedded systems. The second point is that Microsoft's support for their operating systems is not unlimited. So if you have a long lasting embedded system technology then you simply cannot afford to use .NET.