I'd just like to add to this that *nix developers don't appreciate COM for what it really added to windows.
In Linux you only generally call C functions from higher level languages (and sometimes C++). Python programmers use python libraries and sometimes C libraries. Ruby programmers use ruby libraries and sometimes C libraries.
Never will you see someone calling in to a Ruby library from a Python program.
On windows via COM you get Perl calling in to C++ calling in to C# calling in to VB.NET.
Comments
I'd just like to add to this that *nix developers don't appreciate COM for what it really added to windows.
In Linux you only generally call C functions from higher level languages (and sometimes C++). Python programmers use python libraries and sometimes C libraries. Ruby programmers use ruby libraries and sometimes C libraries.
Never will you see someone calling in to a Ruby library from a Python program.
On windows via COM you get Perl calling in to C++ calling in to C# calling in to VB.NET.