Recently I took a fresh at look at the Go programming language after having last taken a look at it before version 1.0 was released back in 2009. What I’ve found in just a few days is shocking in a really really good way.

The sooner a language is formally specified and standardized the better. I don’t want to see Rust go the way of languages like Ruby(which eventually got a spec) or Clojure (still does not have one). Without this and the longer it’s delayed, external libraries spring up to solve problems that should be fully or partially addressed in the core of the language. A formal language spec along with standardization would also potentially inform much higher quality crate design while also allowing quicker progress on many fronts due to less ambiguity.

Ada is the only pragmatic language that is still growing in a healthy way that meets the Steelman language requirements (created by US DoD circa 1978). Ada is rare among programming languages in that it is one of the few that was designed up-front according to a years-long well defined specification. Rust, at least aspires to meeting some of these requirements, even if not intentionally. Crucial in the Steelman requirements were: A general, flexible design that adapts to satisfy the needs of embedded computer applications.