Dear Ubuntu Developers, this is a cross-post of the Discourse announcement https://discourse.ubuntu.com/t/announcing-ubuntu-stainless-steel-edition-a-corrosion-resistant-alternative/58314 For those who want to read Markdown in raw form, here you go:
# Announcing Ubuntu Stainless Steel Edition: A Corrosion-Resistant Alternative We are excited to introduce Ubuntu Stainless Steel Edition, a new flavor of Ubuntu in development. In contrast to the increasingly [oxidising] (https://discourse.ubuntu.com/t/carefully-but-purposefully-oxidising-ubuntu/56995) direction of Ubuntu, this edition is being carefully crafted to provide a traditional, time-tested computing experience that’s built to last. ## No Rust, only steel The key distinction of Ubuntu Stainless Steel Edition is that it will not include any package containing Rust code. If you do not like Rust, this edition is made for you. ## Forged for durability Just as stainless steel stands the test of time, Ubuntu Stainless Steel Edition is built to endure. As part of this effort, we are actively evaluating the possibility of rewriting essential tools, including coreutils, in languages that have stood the test of time, such as COBOL. ## Under development – patience is key Since Rust has gained widespread use—including in the Linux kernel—removing it completely will take time. We are committed to this effort and aim to release the first testable beta image on April 1st, 2026, in time for the Ubuntu 26.04 LTS release. ## Be part of the restoration If you believe Ubuntu should never change, or if you simply do not like Rust, then Ubuntu Stainless Steel Edition is for you. Look for updates and get ready to experience an Ubuntu that remains strong and steady. **Stay tuned – the future is stainless!** PS: I spent the weekend working on my personal project, [3cpio](https://github.com/bdrung/3cpio), and released version 0.5.0. Grab it while it's fresh! -- Benjamin Drung Debian & Ubuntu Developer -- ubuntu-devel mailing list ubuntu-devel@lists.ubuntu.com Modify settings or unsubscribe at: https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-devel
