The most exciting thing about Rust is that we keep seeing something that's already pretty good continually getting better and better.

This is much different than what we're seeing with the evolution of, say, JavaScript or PHP. There, the languages are pretty horrific to begin with. Any "improvements" tend to be yet another hack layered upon one or more earlier hacks. Even in the best cases, these "improvements" are merely bringing JavaScript and PHP to where many other languages were 10 or 20 years ago (if not going back much earlier).

I think the fact that Rust is already so coherent makes these improvements and refinements much more impressive. It's much harder, and requires more real innovation, to improve something that's already great to begin with. Yet that's exactly what we're seeing with Rust.

Much more exciting thing about Rust is that it is actively moving to reduce the language features. At the version 0.1 I was literally shocked about the typestate system ("It is a good idea but I don't know how this feature will end up!") but it is now replaced by other features (owned pointers in this case) more fundamental and more easier to reason. As an wannabe language designer I understand this is very hard to undertake, and I'm appreciate all these works by Rust team and contributors. :)

I can't help myself. You were literally shocked?

Perhaps you are one of those semi-informed people that don't know the definition of "literally" and go around bothering folks with ill-conceived pedantry?

From dictionary.com:

1. in the literal or strict sense: What does the word mean literally? 2. in a literal manner; word for word: to translate literally. 3. actually; without exaggeration or inaccuracy: The city was literally destroyed. 4. in effect; in substance; very nearly; virtually.

Notice definition #4.

Since "shocked" is a synonym of "surprised" / "startled", I think literally is fair in this case. I'd believe that he was literally surprised by the news!

Also, one common usage of "literally" is to describe a figurative or hyperbolic phrase. This usage is well over a century old, and I doubt you can find an English dictionary which does not contain it.

Uhm, no, I exaggerated the fact a bit. But I certainly spewed a drink.

Maybe if you sprayed onto a badly-insulated keyboard, you could create a short circuit through your fingers, and be both metaphorically and literally shocked, as well as having literally spewed.

C'mon guys, it's an oxymoron. He doesn't mean he was literraly shocked, but "metaphorically" is too soft to be used.

I've read this comment again. I didn't mean oxymoron, I meant hyperbole (just in case my children read this in 2034, I don't want them to think I'm an idiot).

I was theoretically shocked.

What "improvements" are you seeing with Javascript? The language is essentially done; all improvements I've seen come in the form of new libraries (jquery et al), environments (v8/nodejs), or revisions (jsnext, asmjs) that IE won't ever adopt.

>What "improvements" are you seeing with Javascript?

Harmony (ES6). Isn't it obvious?

>or revisions (jsnext, asmjs) that IE won't ever adopt.

Seeing that MS caught up in the Javascript JIT game, offer Node.js for Azure, and added HTML5 features, SVG, CSS transformations and even WebGL in the latest IE head why would you say they'll never adopt JsNext?

Heck, even them adopting asm.js is not much of a stretch.

Everyone I know is really excited for ES6.