[dkersten]

> Linux kernel is large project and clearly C is sufficient for it

Sure, and operating systems have been written in assmebly too. The question is whether it would be better than just sufficient if Linux were written in C++, today (ie C++17 or 20, not something old). Switching now probably wouldn't be feasible (even ignoring technical reasons, the kernel developer community is familiar with the C codebase and code standards and bought into it), but if Linux were started today, would it be a better choice?

Maybe the answer is still no and C would still be chosen, but the choice today is very different than it was when Linux was started. Of course, maybe Rust or something would be chosen today instead.

[Bayart]

Cantrill did a talk on which he touches on C, C++ and Rust for systems programming [1].

His tl;dr being that Rust feels very much like a proper systems programming language, and more of a « better C » than C++. I don't entirely know what to make of it, but my instinct is that something like C++ with such an opportunity space for baroque concoctions (leading to an obsession with design patterns) is just playing with fire.

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjFM8vw3pbU