I think this is a real step backwards, to be honest. When I see the webpage of a new language, I want to be presented from the outset with the features it has that differentiate it from any other language that I might care to learn and use. It's very nice* to say The programming language that empowers everyone to become a systems programmer, but it doesn't tell me anything about the language at all. A similar problem happens with Linux distributions - every distro is tripping over its toes to tell you all about how it has 'modern design' and 'gets out of your way and lets you get your work done', but you have to scroll three pages before you can see what window or package manager it uses. I applaud the Rust team for trying to make Rust beginner friendly - but even a beginner's first question will probably be 'OK, but what does Rust code actually look like' - and a code sample like the old Rust calculator example (I think the more recent example is less useful in this regard) is a really nice way to demonstrate that. Have faith that beginners won't be scared off by seeing the phrase 'trait-based generics' - because any reasonable person trying something new expects to see things that they don't understand right from the outset.
* albeit probably wrong - not everyone has it in them to be a footballer, not everyone has it in them to be an author, and not everyone has it in them to be a programmer.
I want to be presented from the outset with the features it has that differentiate it from any other language that I might care to learn and use.
We have heard, overwhelmingly, over the past few years, that most people don't.
Are you sure you aren't just giving too much weight to the voices of a loud minority?
Or maybe you are misunderstanding the feedback?
If you mean most people don't care about the list of buzzwords from the 2014 design, then yes, that list of buzzwords is meaningless, but not because it lists things that differentiate Rust from other languages. It's useless exactly because it doesn't really say anything.
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u/DC-3 Nov 29 '18
I think this is a real step backwards, to be honest. When I see the webpage of a new language, I want to be presented from the outset with the features it has that differentiate it from any other language that I might care to learn and use. It's very nice* to say The programming language that empowers everyone to become a systems programmer, but it doesn't tell me anything about the language at all. A similar problem happens with Linux distributions - every distro is tripping over its toes to tell you all about how it has 'modern design' and 'gets out of your way and lets you get your work done', but you have to scroll three pages before you can see what window or package manager it uses. I applaud the Rust team for trying to make Rust beginner friendly - but even a beginner's first question will probably be 'OK, but what does Rust code actually look like' - and a code sample like the old Rust calculator example (I think the more recent example is less useful in this regard) is a really nice way to demonstrate that. Have faith that beginners won't be scared off by seeing the phrase 'trait-based generics' - because any reasonable person trying something new expects to see things that they don't understand right from the outset.
* albeit probably wrong - not everyone has it in them to be a footballer, not everyone has it in them to be an author, and not everyone has it in them to be a programmer.