The early Go compiler reused the code generator from Limbo. To the point that many comments referred to Limbo. So while Rob Pike might not have joined Google to work on Go or had Go in mind, the idea and direction for Go was probably preordained.
It doesn't really support or attack your claims. It's just a thing I wanted to share.
Small mistake: there are references to inferno, the operating system which limbo was a key component in. The broad idea is the same: Go has a clear heritage in systems that Rob Pike already worked on.
It doesn't really support or attack your claims. It's just a thing I wanted to share.