Brian Kernighan on Rust, Unix Legacy, and the Future of Programming

Brian Kernighan, co‑founder of Unix and co‑author of "The C Programming Language", recently spoke at the Eastern Retro Computer Festival, sharing his observations on the shift from C to memory‑safe languages, the proliferation of Linux distributions, and the pervasive legacy of Unix in modern mobile operating systems.

Will Rust Replace C?

Kernighan answered a question about Rust, admitting he has only written one Rust program and found it "painful". He criticized its performance, slow compiler, and complex safety mechanisms, concluding that Rust is unlikely to replace C in the near future.

What’s Your Favorite Distribution?

When asked about his favorite Linux distribution, Kernighan laughed and said he didn’t know, noting he uses a Mac merely to access Princeton’s Linux systems. He also remarked on the bewildering variety of distros, including Nix/NixOS, many of which he had never heard of.

Yesterday and Today

Kernighan reminisced about Bell Labs’ collaborative atmosphere and observed how the rise of Windows shifted talent toward the PC world, causing some loss of Unix‑origin ideas. He praised Linux for continuing Unix’s heritage and noted that iPhone runs an evolved Unix version while Android runs a different style of Linux.

Kernighan on Programming and Career Advice

He emphasized that software’s commercialisation has changed the landscape, yet encouraged developers to pursue what excites them, have fun, and possibly turn that passion into a career. "Doing what you find fun is the right thing," he said.