Podcast

Season 2 - Finale

S02 E08 Published on 2024-08-08
As we approach the finale of our second season, it's time for another recap.

Could we shed some light on the current state of Rust’s usage in the industry? What has changed in our perception of Rust in production since our last season?

While more companies started to embrace Rust, some of the magic of Rust’s early days is gone. I expect more ripple effects as the community clashes with the industry’s demands.

This episode takes on a more somber tone, as we peer into the massive tech debt we have accumulated as an industry. And in the dark: a faint glow, a narrow golden path that points us towards a more hopeful future.

Show Notes

Results from the Survey

A few weeks ago, we asked you to fill out a survey about the Rust in Production podcast. Thank you to everyone who participated! We received a lot of valuable feedback.

In total, we got 82 responses. Here are some of the key takeaways:

How did you discover the “Rust in Production” podcast?

  • 43% of respondents found the podcast on Mastodon.
  • 21% Podcast directory (Apple, Spotify, etc.)
  • 9% Recommended by a friend
  • 6% Twitter
  • 5% LinkedIn
  • 5% Search engine
  • 4% Reddit
  • 7% Other

How Many Episodes Have You Listened To?

  • 26% of respondents have listened to all episodes.
  • 27% have listened to most episodes (more than half).
  • 27% have listened to some episodes (less than half).
  • 10% have only listened to one episode.
  • 10% Other

Which Aspects Of The Show Do You Enjoy The Most?

  • 96% of respondents enjoy the technical content. (Tech Deep Dives)
  • 49% enjoy the business motivations to choose Rust.
  • 8% other

We got a lot of great suggestions for future episodes. In total, we received 30 unique responses. Here are the top 5 key insights:

  • Cloud native development and microservices: Addressing misconceptions about Rust’s suitability for cloud-native applications, including microservices and Kubernetes operators.

  • Enterprise adoption: How large companies implement Rust, including getting buy-in, training/hiring strategies, and integrating Rust into existing processes.

  • Performance-critical applications: Exploring Rust’s potential as an alternative to C++ in performance-critical domains like machine learning, including C++/Rust interoperability.

  • Web and network services: Coverage of Rust in web applications, WebAssembly, and network services.

  • Ecosystem deep dives: Technical deep dives into popular crates, the Tokio ecosystem, and best practices for structuring large Rust projects.

If you could change one thing about the “Rust in Production” podcast, what would it be and why?

We received 20 unique responses. Top 5 key insights:

  • More technical focus: Many listeners expressed a desire for more in-depth technical discussions rather than high-level or business-oriented content.

  • Improved audio quality: Some mentioned that the audio can be hard to hear at times and suggested better audio production.

  • Diversity in guests: There’s a request for more diverse guests, including women and people from atypical backgrounds.

  • Tighter editing: Some listeners feel the discussions can ramble and could benefit from more focused editing.

  • Format variations: Suggestions include offering video versions, having occasional casual discussions with a co-host on ecosystem topics, and potentially shortening episode lengths.

What is your current level of experience with Rust?

  • 15% Beginner (less than 1 year of experience)
  • 46% Intermediate (1-3 years of experience)
  • 19% Advanced (3-5 years of experience)
  • 14% Expert (5+ years of experience)
  • 6% I don’t use Rust, but I’m interested in learning

Who should be a guest and why?

We don’t want to name specific people, but here are some categories of guests that were suggested:

  • Industry leaders and enterprise adopters: Senior engineers and decision-makers from major tech companies who have implemented Rust at scale.
  • Core Rust ecosystem contributors: Developers and maintainers of the Rust language, compiler, and critical libraries/crates.
  • Systems programmers: Professionals working on operating systems, embedded systems, and low-level infrastructure using Rust.
  • Open-source project leads: Maintainers of significant open-source projects built with Rust, including developer tools and frameworks.
  • Domain specialists: Experts applying Rust in specific fields such as game development, cybersecurity, or academic research.

How do you typically listen to “Rust in Production”?

  • 60% While doing household chores
  • 58% While commuting
  • 26% While exercising
  • 21% Dedicated listening time
  • 10% During work breaks
  • 9% While coding
  • 10% Other

How has ‘Rust in Production’ influenced your perception of Rust’s viability in production environments?

  • 19% Significantly improved my confidence in Rust for production use
  • 41% Somewhat improved my confidence in Rust for production use
  • 36% No change in my perception
  • 4% I don’t have an opinion

Here’s the data ordered by percentage with a markdown header:

Which aspects of Rust in Production are you most interested in?

  • 75% Systems programming
  • 59% Web development
  • 48% Data processing and analysis
  • 46% Embedded systems
  • 43% Network programming
  • 25% Game development
  • 21% Machine learning / AI

Which of the following formats (audio or video) would you be most interested in?

  • 35% System architecture deep dives
  • 28% Advanced Programming Concepts in Rust
  • 27% Idiomatic Rust discussions
  • 9% Pair programming sessions
  • 1% Other

Summary

Thanks to everyone who participated in the survey! We appreciate your feedback and will use it to improve the show. Simon and me will discuss the results in more detail and see how we can incorporate your suggestions into future episodes.

Office Hours

If you’re interested in the topics we discuss, perhaps you’d like to join our Corrode Office Hours every Thursday at 4 PM UTC. Bring your questions, and we’ll try to help you out! Mark your calendars and join us next time.

Here are the dates:

  • August 15, 22, 29
  • September 5, 12, 19, 26
  • October 3

To learn more, check out the office hours page on our website.

All Episodes of Season 2

If you missed any of the previous episodes, you can find them here:

Credits

We would like to thank the guests of the second season for their time and insights. We would also like to thank the listeners for their support and feedback. We are looking forward to the third season and hope you will join us again!

Audio editing and mastering by Simon Brüggen (M3t0r).

About corrode

"Rust in Production" is a podcast by corrode, a company that helps teams adopt Rust. We offer training, consulting, and development services to help you succeed with Rust. If you want to learn more about how we can help you, please get in touch.

Subscribe to Rust In Production

Rust in Production is a bi-weekly podcast by corrode. New episodes are released every other Thursday at 4pm UTC. You can subscribe to new episodes on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon, or through our RSS feed.

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