Meaning that many C++ applications, even nowadays, are actually C compiled with C++ compiler (not even classes are used).

So the transition between skill levels is quite gradual.

For me it is hard to tell, because I know the language since the C++ARM days, which means it had a feature size similar to Object Pascal and actually smaller than Ada.

Back then compiler writers even though it was easier to implement Ada compilers than C++ ones.

So slowly we got used to the new features, being discussed in books or programming magazines.