tweaking here and there, plans for the future

[rust-101.git] / src / main.rs

diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 46651b261f351e1977e8d799c228261a80e5f519..31537dfc5284882dfe6c3aa529af907387928049 100644 (file)
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 // tutorial for the [Rust language](http://www.rust-lang.org/).
 // It is intended to be an interactive, hands-on course: I believe the only way to
 // *really* learn a language is to write code in it, so you should be coding during
-// the course. I am writing this tutorial with a tutorial situation in mind, i.e.,
+// the course. I am writing this with a tutorial situation in mind, i.e.,
 // with a teacher being around to guide students through the course and answer
 // questions as they come up. However, I think they may also be useful if you
 // work through them on your own, you will just have to show more initiative yourself:
@@ -15,8 +15,26 @@
 // the IRC channel is filled with awesome people willing to help you! I spent
 // lots of time there ;-)
 // 
-// I will assume basic familiarity with programming, and hence not explain the basic
+// I will assume some familiarity with programming, and hence not explain the basic
 // concepts common to most languages. Instead, I will focus on what makes Rust special.
+//
+// Why Rust?
+// ---------
+// 
+// When you got here, I am kind of assuming that you already decided to give Rust at
+// least a look, so that I don't have to do much convincing here ;-) . But just in
+// case, here's why I think Rust is worth learning:<br/>
+// At this time, Rust is a language with a pretty unique set of goals. Rust aims to
+// achieve C++-style control over memory and execution behavior (like, static vs. dynamic
+// dispatch), which makes it possible to construct abstractions that carry no run-time
+// cost. This is combined this with providing the comfort of high-level functional languages
+// and guaranteeing safety (as in, the program will not crash). The vast majority of existing
+// languages sacrificies one of these goals for the other. In particular, the
+// first requirement rules out a garbage collector: Rust can run "mare metal".
+// In fact, Rust rules out more classes of bugs than languages that achieve safety
+// with a GC: Besides dangling pointers and double-free, Rust also prevents issues
+// such as iterator invalidation and race conditions.
+// 
 // 
 // Prerequisites
 // -------------
@@ -35,29 +53,45 @@
 // You are meant to play around with the source code of the course as you go on, so please
 // fetch it from the [git repository](http://www.ralfj.de/git/rust-101.git) (also available
 // [on GitHub](https://github.com/RalfJung/rust-101)).
-// 
+
 // Course Content
 // --------------
 // 
-// The actual course is in the partXX.rs files. I suggest you get started with
-// [the first part](part00.html), or jump directly to where you left off:
+// The actual course is in the partXX.rs files. The part 00-03 cover some basic of the language,
+// to give you a feeling for Rust's syntax and pervasive mechanisms like pattern matching and traits.
+// Parts 04-06 introduce the heart of the language, the mechanism making it different from anything
+// else out there: Ownership, borrowing, lifetimes. In part 07-??, we continue our tour through
+// Rust. Finally, in parts ??-??, we implement our own version of `grep`, exhibiting useful Rust
+// features as we go.
+// 
+// I suggest you get started with [the first part](part00.html), or jump directly to where you left off:
 // 
-// * [Part 00](part00.html)
-// * [Part 01](part01.html)
-// * [Part 02](part02.html)
-// * [Part 03](part03.html)
+// * [Part 00: Algebraic datatypes](part00.html)
+// * [Part 01: Expressions, Inherent methods](part01.html)
+// * [Part 02: Generic types, Traits](part02.html)
+// * [Part 03: Input](part03.html)
+// * [Part 04: Ownership, Borrowing](part04.html)
+// * [Part 05: Clone](part05.html) (WIP)
+// * [Part 06: Copy, Lifetimes](part06.html) (WIP)
+// * [Part 07: Operator Overloading, Tests, Output](part07.html) (WIP)
 // * (to be continued)
-#![allow(dead_code, unused_imports, unused_variables)]
+#![allow(dead_code, unused_imports, unused_variables, unused_mut)]
 mod part00;
 mod part01;
 mod part02;
 mod part03;
+mod part04;
+mod part05;
+mod part06;
+mod part07;
+mod part08;
+mod part09;
 
 // To actually run the code of some part (after filling in the blanks, if necessary), simply edit the `main`
 // function.
 
 fn main() {
-    part00::part_main();
+    part03::main();
 }
 
 // Additional material