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> It certainly isn't viable as systems programming language

It is perfectly viable as a systems programming language. Remember, systems are the alternative to scripts. Go is in no way a scripting language...

You must be involved in Rust circles? They somehow became confused about what systems are, just as they became confused about what enums are. That is where you will find the odd myths.

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It’s all admittedly a somewhat handwaving discussion, but in ‘systems programming’ ‘systems’ is generally understood to be opposite to ‘applications’, not ‘scripts’.

All software is application. That’s what software is for!

I wouldn't consider a driver an application

application: the action of putting something into operation

What's a driver if not something that carries out an action of putting something (an electronic device, typically) into operation?

We live in an age in which a PC running an OS, which has drivers in it, is something that can be done by Javascript in a browser.

Indeed - I’ve seen this refrain about “systems programming” countless times. I’m not sure how one can sustain the argument that a “system” is only an OS kernel, network stack or graphics driver.

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