but no applications (where application is defined as a program that a human users interacts with directly).
I know Apple's elliptical encryption routines are written in C++ using some tricky types and operators (stack based "types" - not heap based "objects").
I used to teach the C++ class at University of Colorado, Denver. I'd tell the students on the first day that C++ was a ridiculously complex language with a terrible design - but since you can make money with it, it might be worth learning anyhow.
At the end of the class, the students generally agree'd with me.