This I run into all the time as well, along with @chloe comment around students/even grad level students wary of C++ and ROS. This effort will obviously be a multi-generational effort. But first lay out a roadmap, and start small and build from there. I agree with @ThiloZimmermann that a near term initiative around the ROSIN FTP vehicle may be a good place to start. We look forward to seeing progress and challenging prior ways of thinking. Perhaps a side discussion can take place at ROSCon in Madrid to start framing out a roadmap with spurs to account for some of these ancillary concerns that we all know at some point have to be covered.
Looking forward to continued dialog on this one!
Matt