[pjmlp]

I don't buy into editions, for me I hardly see them any different from language version switches available across programming languages.

Mainly, because:

1 - They require the whole code, including all third party dependencies to be available to the compiler;

2 - There is the issue about possible inconsistencies across Rust compilers, when they start to be more widespread;

3 - They are relatively constrained the scope, e.g. semantic differences across versions and how that can be handled across crates public API

Let's see how editions take care about the many items that are yet to stabilise.

Naturally Rust being 30 years younger (approximately), it will always get less cruft.

Maybe by 2045 it can manage to do the same play C++ did on C, and there will be a LLVM replacement in Rust, while at the same time, there will be domains that regardless how much cruft C++ has gained, they will continue to use, just like it almost impossible to take C out of UNIX clones and embedded, no matter how much C++ has tried.

[tialaramex]

The requirement to have all the source if you're not happy with C-style ABI boundaries comes from Rust itself not from its Editions. C++ leaves a bunch of performance on the table here because it insists on pretending your code from last century should get to dictate how a CPU designed last year works.

Hyrum's law will indeed bite multiple Rust implementations, as it already bites Rust on non-x86 CPUs because a low level language cannot entirely conceal implementation details. This is already a huge leap over C++ where you get to tickle previously undetected Undefined Behaviour if you change compilers because (safe) Rust stays safe even if you're astonished that e.g. documentation saying "the order is not defined" really means "the order is not defined" despite the fact you tested it on your laptop last week and that's how it worked. Your bad program might have bugs but it doesn't suddenly exhibit nonsense behaviour.

Fundamentally Rust's Editions are about the fact that we don't get it right first time every time. In C++ having settled on the claim that (quoting Stroustrup) "this array concept is inherently low level" the built-in array is basically abandoned as unusable garbage forever because to do otherwise would admit a mistake. In contrast Rust says sure, arrays don't yet have all the features you expect of first class containers, we will improve the language to deliver that.

I think this is a healthier philosophy and it's already successful. It isn't a panacea, but it is a very noticeable improvement.

As to taking care of items that are yet to stabilise, what's to see here? Even for something like generators that is far from finished, the keyword is reserved already, you probably wouldn't wait for an edition to land it, once it was stable you just flip the toggle and it works.

[3836293648]

(All responding to 1) A. Binary dependencies were a mistake. B. No, editions absolutely do not require all dependencies to be fully available in source. Editions are purely a front end thing and as long as you have enough info for the api/abi, you're fine. C. Headers are still source code. You cannot use any dependency without partial source, meaning we'd be stuck with that anyway.

[pjmlp]

C headers don't give away implementation.

If Rust doesn't want the enterprise and game development markets it is ok, there is enough space for all.

[tialaramex]

Enterprise is very much a trailing indicator. On the whole Enterprise will adopt Rust the same way it adopted Version Control and the Internet, years late and reluctantly. Nobody making those decisions knows the first thing about technology, but that cuts both ways. It means there aren't going to be executives at Mondelez International chasing their software engineers to use Rust because it's a good idea, but it also means despite lobbying by C++ consultants, those executives don't care that an internal team started using Rust for a new project.

As to Game Development, well, one of the things Rust has been trying to do is avoid toxic people and if you wanted a concentrated supply of toxic people the video game industry is where you'd look. I expect there will be a lot of Rust in or near video games in the next decade, but I already pity the people working on them.