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> Two years ago, seeing the Rust-for-Linux project starting to get the ball rolling, I wrote “Does Rust belong in the Linux kernel?”, penning a conclusion consi
by keybored 2y ago
> Two years ago, seeing the Rust-for-Linux project starting to get the ball rolling, I wrote “Does Rust belong in the Linux kernel?”, penning a conclusion consistent with Betteridge’s law of headlines. Two years on we have a lot of experience to draw on to see how Rust-for-Linux is actually playing out, and I’d like to renew my thoughts with some hindsight – and more compassion. If you’re one of the Rust-for-Linux participants burned out or burning out on this project, I want to help. Burnout sucks – I’ve been there.
Now this compassionate revisit offers the same conclusion: don’t do Rust in Linux.
This person read that email about one Rust Kernel developer resigning because of burnout. Now he goes into how the Linux project is a “burnout machine” and how his heart goes out to the “developers who have been burned” (how did we get to plural?).[1]
The “so where do we go now?” almost gets ahead of itself before it says in the next paragraph that “the path is theirs to choose”. Well yeah because the only person who implied there was a crossroads is the author here.
The predictable conclusion is to abandon the project and do something adjacent to the Linux Kernel. But what if you cared about working on the Linux Kernel specifically? What if you cared about the code in the Linux Kernel itself, its long term health… hush, hush now. You are burned out and don’t know what you are saying.
The penultimate paragraph then declares that the Rust-for-Linux project itself is “burned out” (“and that’s awful”).
Who needs enemies with compassionate friends like this.
[1] How often do we read about maintainers suffering burnout? Every day? Do we then declare that the project is a failure, even when there are other maintainers left on the project?
- IshKebab 2y ago> resigning because of burnout It wasn't even because of burnout.
- drewdevault 2y ago>This person read that email about one Rust Kernel developer resigning because of burnout. Now he goes into how the Linux project is a “burnout machine” and how his heart goes out to the “developers who have been burned” (how did we get to plural?).[1] There are several Rust-for-Linux folks who have complained about the same things and been at various levels of burned out over the course of the project. Ignoring them because it raises uncomfortable questions regarding the viability of the project doesn't make it go away, it just erases their experiences. >The “so where do we go now?” almost gets ahead of itself before it says in the next paragraph that “the path is theirs to choose”. Well yeah because the only person who implied there was a crossroads is the author here. >The predictable conclusion is to abandon the project and do something adjacent to the Linux Kernel. This article is in response to someone who already decided to abandon the project, and to suggest what's next. I didn't impose the conclusion to abandon it on anyone, and in fact I explicitly supported it if burnout victims choose to return to the fold. Yes, I stand by the conclusion that Rust-for-Linux is probably not a great idea, and I'm allowed to say that without being anyone's "enemy". I also believe people when they say they're burned out and quitting the project and take their needs seriously, something I think is missing from your comment. All of this is compatible with compassion. I'm not and have never been your enemy: I can say that I think it's not a good idea and wish you well in your efforts nevertheless, and I have.