this post was submitted on 03 Sep 2024
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Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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That's precious coming from Linux developers.
I am a heavy Linux user. I run multiple microservices on multiple headless devices all Linux.
This sounds like every fucking Windows user you'll ever encounter.
"Here's the thing: you're not going to force all of us to learn to use Linux."
So, yeah...
Switching everything from C to Rust because it has better memory safety is more akin to changing languages from English to Esperanto because it has gender neutral pronouns and other cool features. Maybe it's a good idea, but it's understandable that some people are reluctant.
I understand that position. I also understand how the words and phrases that the C community has used to communicate with the Rust community seems to be completely dismissive, not just reluctant.
I quoted what I did explicitly because of how a statement like that comes off to the person it's aimed at. It doesn't make them feel like they're on an even footing working on the same project with the overall goal of it becoming better.
I mean... not at all? Memory safety is huge for cybersecurity, buffer overflows and the like are common attack surfaces. C requires you to have deep knowledge of safe memory management practices and even then you can end up with memory issues. Rust was developed to avoid such issues entirely. I understand the reluctance but it feels to me like arguing "we should just stick with COBOL because it works."
Gender neutral pronouns are pretty huge too. Sure you can do them in English without too many problems usually, just as it's also possible to code safely in C. It requires everyone to change their old habits, but it's much less of a change than is involved in adopting a whole new language.
Anyway, I do like Rust better personally.
I would still say that getting people to the point where they can write safe C code every time is harder than learning Rust, as it’s equivalent to being able to write rust code that compiles without any safety issues (compiler errors) every single time, which is very difficult to do.
Ok, that made your analogy make more sense to me. I can agree with that. Thanks.
Gender neutral pronouns might be pretty huge too, but nobody's private data is getting hacked because of gendered pronoun use.
Don't thinknits possible by on write safe c code. Otherwise we would not have these issues time and time again. But yes its only the idiots begin don't know how to code. Projects are big and complicated itsneasy to make mistakes.