Linux

49738 readers

679 users here now

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

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.

Rules

Posts must be relevant to operating systems running the Linux kernel. GNU/Linux or otherwise.
No misinformation
No NSFW content
No hate speech, bigotry, etc

Related Communities

Community icon by Alpár-Etele Méder, licensed under CC BY 3.0

founded 5 years ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]

180

Asahi Linux Lead Developer Hector Martin Steps Down As Upstream Apple Silicon Maintainer (www.phoronix.com)

submitted 1 day ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

58 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Following arguments on the Linux kernel mailing list the past few days over some Linux kernel maintainers being against the notion of Rust code in the mainline Linux kernel and trying to avoid it and very passionate views over the Linux kernel development process, Asahi Linux lead developer Hector Martin has removed himself from being an upstream maintainer of the ARM Apple code.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] [email protected] 15 points 18 hours ago (2 children)

The crucial point is that the people who can work on the kernel now itself are

c people who don't know rust yet
c people who know rust well

The moment we get rust in there, the people who can work on the kernel reliably as a whole are

c people who know rust well

That's a much smaller group than the one above.

Here's the point: THE SAME ISSUE would arise if it were D, or some kind of compiled python, object-oriented bash static objects, if that existed; or anything. Whatever the other language was, it'd present the same risk.

Rust people: it's not about you. It's about splitting the codebase.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

I always thought kernel devs were smart people. I'm kind of shocked learning a new language is this big of a barrier to them.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 11 hours ago

Even “smart people” have resource/time limitations. Learning rust to an extent that will work on that level is not the same as learning C.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago)

The rust people said they'd take ownership of the work for the bindings so C maintainers don't have to. What's the issue?