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FunkyLich [soylentnews.org] writes:

A Debian developer gave out the news. Julian Andres Klode wrote in the mailing lists that APT (the package manager tool of Debian Linux) begin requiring a Rust compiler. It goes like:

"I plan to introduce hard Rust dependencies and Rust code into APT, no earlier than May 2026. This extends at first to the Rust compiler and standard library, and the Sequoia ecosystem.
In particular, our code to parse .deb, .ar, .tar, and the HTTP signature verification code would strongly benefit from memory safe languages and a stronger approach to unit testing."

source: https://lists.debian.org/deity/2025/10/msg00071.html [debian.org]

I admit to not knowing enough of the "how"-s and "gotcha!"-s of Debian's development to be able to give an educated opinion about this news. But in the overall and what I have seen happening as of late, anything Rust has felt a little too eager to be wedged into any cog and bolt of Linuxlandia as can be possible.

My dormant prophetic eye almost sees a vague vision of something that resembles the Unix Wars of the 90s, but this time happening to Linux, as soon as Torvalds will eventually retire from his role as the benevolent emperor of Linux. The commercial vultures will come from all sides to "improve" it in any way that would suit them in their business, injecting in it endless bloat and useless features that noone asked about, and there will be noone there to stop it with a firm "no!" (and a middle finger up when deserved) like Torvalds does and has guarded Linux from such assaults so far.

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