mihai wrote:
I wonder,
"What is the [performance] penalty
for using object oriented programming (C++)
instead of plain C?"
None.
Object oriented programming
is as good an idea in C as it is in C++.
C++ just makes it easier and more reliable
because it is an object oriented programming language --
it includes direct support for object oriented programming:
1.) encapsulation (actually, data hiding),
2.) inheritance and
3.) run-time polymorphism.
Of course, new C++ programmers create problems for themselves
when they try to use the new language features
in inappropriate situations.
As a rule, you should avoid doing anything in C++
that you wouldn't do in C.