> The point is that libxml2 never had the quality to be used in mainstream browsers or operating systems to begin with
I think that's seriously over-estimating the quality of software in mainstream browsers and operating systems. Certainly some parts of mainstream OS's and browsers are very well written. Other parts, though...
I have only experience with Chrome codebase and while it's C++ (which I don't personally like) it's pretty solid and most of the weird hairy stuff were the external linked libraries. But I didn't poke around THAT much.
That's certainly interesting but to give context for those not following the link: This is for entering into the address/search bar, so it covers all the work of searching history, performing network requests to autocomplete search terms, and displaying those results. It's not like entering a character into a regular text box on a page.
That's the problem of abusing and freeloading off critical components of the FOSS supply chain. Megacorps must pay their fair share or bad things happen, just like unbounded, corrupt crapitalism.
I think that's seriously over-estimating the quality of software in mainstream browsers and operating systems. Certainly some parts of mainstream OS's and browsers are very well written. Other parts, though...