This library is layered on top of a package called CrossTerm, which (on terminal systems, at least, but not on console systems) in turn emits roughly ECMA48 standard control sequences to do the cursor motions and whatnot. So the bottom layer is a terminal/terminal emulator that supports/emulates a (subset of a) DEC VT520 terminal.
But VT520s can already do what the library does. This idea of a static region and a scrolling region on the screen has, after all, been around in the world of terminals since the 1970s. There are DEC VT control sequences for setting left, right, top, and bottom margins; which specify a scrolling region and also modify scrolling and automatic cursor movement behaviours outwith that region. They're widely supported in terminal emulators because a popular compatibility testing program, vttest, makes them applicable to many tests.
So what is actually going on here is that because CrossTerm does not produce anywhere near the full capabilities of an underlying DEC VT, an entire library has been built on top of it to replicate stuff that actually exists already in the code of the terminal emulators and terminal firmwares. It should be noted that the termcap and terminfo libraries provide a change_scroll_region capability that can set top and bottom margins, and are superior to CrossTerm in that regard.
The curious should see the DECSTBM and DECSLRM control sequences and the DECLRMM private mode.
I know it's verbatim from TFA's title, but honestly, at this point Rust evangelism feels like proselytising propaganda.
What exactly is going on? Is there a concerted effort in the Rust community to actively evangelise? Or is it just that blog posters are gaming SEO and riding the upward adoption curve? I'm aware that several key influences have praised Rust-related efforts, but there seems to be something far more deliberate going on. Is there?
I don't use Rust, and a few months ago it was on my list of languages to check out, but frankly the fan-boyism is a real turn-off.
As any developer knows, a low level programming language may help you get there, but ultimately this is mostly dependent on code quality. Rust applications can be absolutely riddled with bugs and use O(n^2) algorithms where they don't need to, or have awesome code but rely on third party libraries that don't. There's just so much surrounding the core aspects of the language that we just can't judge applications based on their programming language.
Rust does protect against buffer overflows and pointer misuse etc but so does many other languages nowadays, for example by directing the developer away from (or not even supporting) the use of low level unchecked pointers in the first place.
Under every article about Rust there is comment complaining about Rust in the title. Why do you have to do this? If you are not interested just move on.
The Rust community seems noisy compared to others.
And besides... Why do _you_ have to reply to the reply? Why don't _you_ just move on? :) Hopefully because we are curious people who want to develop our understanding of each other?
