There are compiled languages that are arguably better than C, such as Eiffel, Modula-3, and D. These may be promoted by companies, but surely not controlled.
C is popular because it's simple and powerful, is good enough, and has inertia. But that doesn't necessarily mean it's the best.
If the app runs on JavaVM, then JavaVM-based languages (such as Jython and Groovy) may be good choices, since the VM and its large set of libs are there anyway.
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There are compiled languages that are arguably better than C, such as Eiffel, Modula-3, and D. These may be promoted by companies, but surely not controlled. C is popular because it's simple and powerful, is good enough, and has inertia. But that doesn't necessarily mean it's the best.
I don't mean to offend you, but just curious: How do you feel when you use here documents, which include whitespace as syntax requirements?
If the app runs on JavaVM, then JavaVM-based languages (such as Jython and Groovy) may be good choices, since the VM and its large set of libs are there anyway.