That seems a pretty balanced summary from my understanding of it. One thing that I think should be noted: a lot has been said about this framing the original d

That seems a pretty balanced summary from my understanding of it. One thing that I think should be noted: a lot has been said about this framing the original developer as unwilling. I'd say an unfair amount - from what I've seen, "cautiousness" would be a better description of his attitude, and hostility seems to have been shown when people blindly wade in ignoring all the discussion. So for example, back in 2018, here he is publicly mulling it over: https://github.com/actix/actix-web/issues/289#issuecomment-395800266 https://github.com/actix/actix-web/issues/289#issuecomment-3... and https://github.com/actix/actix-web/issues/289#issuecomment-397827214 https://github.com/actix/actix-web/issues/289#issuecomment-3... Here he is actively working to reduce the reliance on unsafe practices: https://github.com/actix/actix-web/issues/289#issuecomment-397840016 https://github.com/actix/actix-web/issues/289#issuecomment-3... Here he actively and very concisely points out his actual viewpoint: https://github.com/actix/actix-web/issues/289#issuecomment-398739160 https://github.com/actix/actix-web/issues/289#issuecomment-3... ... and there are plenty of other examples in this and other tickets. Massive actions were taken by others and himself to significantly reduce the unsafe code where possible, and yet it seems the abuse kept coming. I'd be interested to hear whether the new maintainer has had similar experiences. Unfortunately, our preferences in software development, often a product of a desire to generalise a specific overreaction, tend to become quasi-religious and puritanical. Members get outcast from their communities for trying to speak sense. I hope that this debacle will cause the community to mature, though I fear many will see it as a win and galvanise their viewpoint. We must remember that silver bullets can kill more than just werewolves.