The new Rust version of the cp command in Ubuntu has caused failures when building system images. The problem arose because the code incorrectly handled an argument, generating errors in installation files. Developers opted to revert to the previous GNU version to restore stability. For users, this implies potential delays in system updates while the bug is being fixed.
Technical issues in the migration to Rust 🛠️
The cp command, part of the coreutils utility set, was rewritten in Rust as part of an effort to improve security and performance. However, the implementation failed when processing a specific argument during system image generation. This error forced maintainers to revert the change and use the previous GNU version. The decision aims to prevent file copy failures from compromising the creation of installation packages. The technical community continues to debate whether the pace of Rust adoption is appropriate for critical system tasks.
Copying slower than a rusty floppy disk 🐌
Someone thought rewriting the entire system in Rust would make Ubuntu faster. But it turns out the new cp doesn't know how to copy a file without first arguing with the arguments. Now developers have had to revert to the GNU version, which at least knows how to paste without asking. The moral of the story: don't fix what works, unless you want to spend the weekend debugging code.