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> the kernel isn't a safe program

But it can be far safer than it is today. I assume you’ve seen Writing an OS in Rust by Philipp Oppermann? The unsafe portions are very small compared to the safe: https://os.phil-opp.com/

I just don’t see why you’d include C++ at this point when there are far better options that would provide meaningful improvements in safety.



Simple: C++ is a much more expressive language than either Rust or C. That is to say, you can write libraries in C++ that are wholly impossible in Rust or C, that encapulate semantics and optimizations that cannot be done in any other language.

There are sound reasons why the highest-paying development in all fields is done exclusively in C++: finance, aerospace, CAE, HPC, telecomms -- all are exclusively C++. Rust is not a blip there, and C is entirely dead (except some aerospace and telecomms).

Safety is not the driving force in systems development: capability is. C++ is simply more capable than C or Rust, and Rust is very far from mature. Given competent modern C++ coding practice, safety is just not a problem, in practice.




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