[rwmj]

Only if development of the language and OS are separate. If you co-develop the language with the OS, then it makes perfect sense to push safety features into the language (or conversely, to remove them from the language when they are no longer appropriate).

LISP-strength macros give you most of this capability.

[gpderetta]

OS are not the only use cases for system languages and developing a language to be tightly tied to an os (and viceversa) is a great way to condemn both to obscurity.

[amalcon]

Erm... I think Dennis Ritchie would have had a few things to say about that.

[gpderetta]

good point; though, while designed to work well with each other, neither unix nor C require the other.

[bluejekyll]

If you want a portable C, *libc is practically a requirement. Having POSIX is also a huge boon.