> Go was originally envisioned as a systems programming language. It was often called "a better C". This exposed Rob Pike's lack of experience in the area (IMHO) because anyone who had done any systems programming at all knew that garbage collection made any systems language a nonstarter.

You don't know what you are talking about. Someone who has written operating systems, windowing systems, editors, many many tools & library functions, and well regarded books on programming doesn't exactly lack systems programming experience.