> (1) it's a lisp. This is 2013, compilers can deal with +-*/, I don't need to.

I don't understand what you mean here, the lack of infix operators in Lisp? You make it sound like prefix notation is inferior. But given how Lispers usually sell it as the best thing since sliced bread, such reactions don't surprise me.

Anyway, you're right. It really seems like C-style syntax has won, and deviating from that is certainly a barrier of adoption. Clojure has been remarkably successful despite this, but I really don't see it becoming the next Java.