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Facebook Joins the Rust Foundation

developers.facebook.com

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Re: Facebook Joins the Rust Foundation

#21

Post by steveklabnik »

wallacoloo wrote: post #19
xiphias2 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It had to happen, the only way to make a programming language successful is to have it backed by most big tech companies.

They can contribute without having any special status. Rust already has a robust RFC process and good technical leadership. My worry is that these things weaken and rust very gradually becomes your typical corporate software product where more and more independent features are just bolted on without care to any larger vision. That won’t happen if FB, etc keep contributing as ordinary contributors. But it could happen…

Note that the Foundation doesn't have any impact on the RFC process or the project's structure or governance, so while that worry may exist, this announcement isn't a path towards doing that.

Re: Facebook Joins the Rust Foundation

#23

Post by steveklabnik »

amelius wrote: post #10
nanna wrote: post #2

Well, that makes me a tad less enthusiastic about Rust.

Rust should include in their license: "The Software/Language shall be used for Good, not Evil" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Crockford#%22Good,_not...

Core team member here. There's no desire to change the license.

Also, practically, we do not have a CLA, and have had just under six thousand distinct contributors. We cannot unilaterally change the license. This is a feature, not a bug.

Re: Facebook Joins the Rust Foundation

#24

Post by brabel »

rectang wrote: post #12
nanna wrote: post #2

Well, that makes me a tad less enthusiastic about Rust.

The kinds of things that Facebook most often receives flak for would be difficult to pursue though the layer of indirection that is sponsoring a foundation dedicated to the Rust programming language. Similarly, since Facebook isn't a software vendor, the kinds of things that you might achieve by securing undue influence within the Rust Foundation don't really benefit them.

But what's in it for Facebook then? They're spending real money, there's got to be something for them to benefit from?

Re: Facebook Joins the Rust Foundation

#25

Post by Isn0gud »

capableweb wrote: post #17
Isn0gud wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why? On the tech side, engineers at facebook have contributed some great open source work.

Just like how every environmentalist love the oil and gas companies because they are offsetting their carbon emissions

How does this comparison make any sense?

I'd definitely prefer oil and gas companies that offset carbon emissions over oil and gas companies that don't. (Not going into how much pr that is over how much it's actually worth anything)

Re: Facebook Joins the Rust Foundation

#26

Post by justapassenger »

amelius wrote: post #10
nanna wrote: post #2

Well, that makes me a tad less enthusiastic about Rust.

Rust should include in their license: "The Software/Language shall be used for Good, not Evil" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Crockford#%22Good,_not...

Who decides what’s good and what’s evil?

Real life isn’t kindergarten, world isn’t black and white. Even for things that most of people can agree are good, you’ll have negative externalities.

Re: Facebook Joins the Rust Foundation

#27

Post by benatkin »

xgulfie wrote: post #4

Can anyone speak to what power this gives them in the rust foundation, other than just good will and the dependence on funding?

Too much. It goads people in the Rust community to pretend to think Facebook is well-meaning company. I'm going to continue thinking Facebook doesn't care about people, even when they're being killed by the thousands, and I'm more comfortable doing that as someone who uses Vue and Python and not Rust.

https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-45449938

Edit: I realized I'm slowly getting into Deno, which is based on Rust, so I should probably just lean into Rust.

Re: Facebook Joins the Rust Foundation

#28

Post by adwn »

amelius wrote: post #10
nanna wrote: post #2

Well, that makes me a tad less enthusiastic about Rust.

Rust should include in their license: "The Software/Language shall be used for Good, not Evil" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Crockford#%22Good,_not...

Why? What effect would this have, in your opinion?

Also, who decides what is "good", and what is "evil"? For proper licensing terms, a judge can decide whether those terms have been violated within a given jurisdiction. Would you have philosophers take their place? What a bunch of nonsense.

Re: Facebook Joins the Rust Foundation

#29

Post by benatkin »

brabel wrote: post #24
rectang wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The kinds of things that Facebook most often receives flak for would be difficult to pursue though the layer of indirection that is sponsoring a foundation dedicated to the Rust programming language. Similarly, since Facebook isn't a software vendor, the kinds of things that you might achieve by securing undue influence within the Rust Foundation don't really benefit them.

But what's in it for Facebook then? They're spending real money, there's got to be something for them to benefit from?

I think it's help with their image.
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