Renowned computer scientist Brian Kernighan, co-creator of Unix, recently shared his first-hand experience with the Rust programming language at an event in New Jersey. Known for his contributions to operating systems and programming, Kernighan described Rust as a ‘pain’ due to its intricate memory safety mechanisms and the overwhelming complexity of its support system. The language’s steep learning curve and the challenges in understanding its compiler and the slow performance of generated code left him frustrated. Despite his extensive background in computing, Kernighan found Rust difficult to grasp, noting that the language had evolved significantly since its last description, making it hard to keep up. His remarks highlight skepticism about Rust’s potential to replace C in the near future, with Kernighan acknowledging that his experience was limited to a single program, and he remains ‘unduly cynical’ about the language’s prospects.
Kernighan also discussed other technologies, including NixOS and HolyC, but his formative experiences remained rooted in his time at Bell Labs in the 1970s, where he recalled the ‘great fun’ of collaborating with other pioneers. He acknowledged the widespread use of Unix descendants in modern technology, powering nearly every cellphone, but expressed irritation at the limited access to the underlying systems. His comments reflect a blend of nostalgia for the past and a critical view of current computing developments. Kernighan’s insights provide a valuable perspective on the challenges of adopting new programming languages within an established ecosystem. While he acknowledged the importance of innovation, he remains cautious about the pace of change and the feasibility of replacing well-established languages like C with newer alternatives such as Rust.