this post was submitted on 29 Aug 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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One Of The Rust Linux Kernel Maintainers Steps Down - Cites "Nontechnical Nonsense" (www.phoronix.com)
submitted 3 months ago by pnutzh4x0r@lemmy.ndlug.org to c/linux@lemmy.ml
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Wedson Almeida Filho is a Microsoft engineer who has been prolific in his contributions to the Rust for the Linux kernel code over the past several years. Wedson has worked on many Rust Linux kernel features and even did a experimental EXT2 file-system driver port to Rust. But he's had enough and is now stepping away from the Rust for Linux efforts.

From Wedon's post on the kernel mailing list:

I am retiring from the project. After almost 4 years, I find myself lacking the energy and enthusiasm I once had to respond to some of the nontechnical nonsense, so it's best to leave it up to those who still have it in them.

...

I truly believe the future of kernels is with memory-safe languages. I am no visionary but if Linux doesn't internalize this, I'm afraid some other kernel will do to it what it did to Unix.

Lastly, I'll leave a small, 3min 30s, sample for context here: https://youtu.be/WiPp9YEBV0Q?t=1529 -- and to reiterate, no one is trying force anyone else to learn Rust nor prevent refactorings of C code."

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[–] WarmApplePieShrek@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

The only compromise Rust programmers would accept is C programmers learn Rust so when they break Rust code they can fix it.

[–] slowcakes@programming.dev 0 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Dude what are you on about, there is no rust programmer that want to teach fucking rust to anyone who doesn't want learn...

This has nothing to do with C vs Rust, this has to do with security and enabling more people to develop stuff for Linux.

These so called kernel maintainers you see in the conference are only mainting the parts that they use for their filesystem, they are mainting the API, they are paid by companies who have sold support for ext4, xfs or brtfs etc.. . Of course they don't want to make their jobs any harder by learning a new language.

And of course they obfuscate the API with random naming and undocumented usage, because they want to make it hard for anyone else using trying to use the APIs.

If they don't want to be part of the improvement, then go do something else. Yes rust is better than C for this, because guess what - there are still CVEs being made, because it's impossible to catch everything with you eyes.

[–] WarmApplePieShrek@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 months ago

Now that's a conspiracy theory.