I'm not entirely sure what you mean by "a little more mainstream", which I read as implying C++ isn't mainstream, and when I think mainstream programming languages the top two in my mind, when generalizing across domains, are C/C++ and Java. There are specific areas where they aren't somewhere very close to the top (webapps, but even there Java makes a showing in the enterprise), but those are the exceptions.
My impression of Rust has always been that it's trying to supplant C++, by providing something with similar performance characteristics while being safer and with somewhat improved ergonomics (given the required complexity increase for the additional security, which may yield a net gain or loss in ergonomics depending on your point of view and background).
> it won't become very popular, but it'll influence languages that do
That's entirely possible, and I'm willing to accept that as a good thing if it happens. :)
My impression of Rust has always been that it's trying to supplant C++, by providing something with similar performance characteristics while being safer and with somewhat improved ergonomics (given the required complexity increase for the additional security, which may yield a net gain or loss in ergonomics depending on your point of view and background).
> it won't become very popular, but it'll influence languages that do
That's entirely possible, and I'm willing to accept that as a good thing if it happens. :)