What junk am I subscribing to by thinking compiler checking of my memory access is neat, and by thinking it has uses in the kernel (which manages memory as one of its jobs IIRC)?
It's not so much trusting security because of language use as distrusting security because of language use. With the tools C gives you, it is impossible for multiple humans to write a large secure program. Rust doesn't guarantee security, but it gives you a fighting chance.
Im confused. You are going to change an OS because you think "trusting something based on use of a particular language" is a problem that might come up. Isn't that just you basing your trust level on the use of a particular language?
