[jarpadat]

SML, D, etc., are compiled GC languages but not in wide use. These days you can make a good argument for .NET/Java, although the traditional implementations are not compiled.

The compiler does “guide you” in memory management in Rust, but its “guidance” consists largely of refusing to compile buggy programs. Getting the program to compile e.g. doing the memory management correctly, is still a difficult matter, although this varies a lot by experience and program requirements.

To put it another way, if you are interested in shortening the time between writing a program and having a crash-free version, Rust will improve your situation. Although it will be a long time either way because bug-free programs are hard to write. If on Theo the hand you wanted to get something running your machine by this evening, Rust will spend a lot of time complaining about issues you are unlikely to immediately encounter.

[koheripbal]

I haven't done it for almost 20 years, but aren't there tools to compile Java into native executibles? There certainly used to be...