You typically can't even compile Linux with the previous GCC version, yet somehow that kernel has been tottering along for about 20 years now. If you compile a

You typically can't even compile Linux with the previous GCC version, yet somehow that kernel has been tottering along for about 20 years now. If you compile a program using Go, you get a binary that will run forever. Statically linked, contains the runtime, you're all set. If you update Go, you can then re-build that same program, but you might have to update a few things to get a working binary again--but you only have to do this if, somehow, that originally-compiled binary isn't working for you. If Python decides they want to change the syntax for opening a file, then you can either 1. Keep a second Python around forever for compatibility or 2. Modify your program so it uses the new syntax. Go will never do this to you; as long as your OS continues to support the same binary format, I don't see why a binary shouldn't work indefinitely.