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Re: [Gnu-arch-users] Nit
From: |
Thomas Zander |
Subject: |
Re: [Gnu-arch-users] Nit |
Date: |
Wed, 22 Oct 2003 11:07:18 +0200 |
User-agent: |
KMail/1.5 |
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On Tuesday 21 October 2003 23:43, Tom Lord wrote:
> zander:
> > A more mature; "I understand, but [Java-esque exceptions are]
> > not for me" would not leave such a foul taste in my mouth.
>
> (See the postscript below my signature, but:)
>
> Whether or not it is "for me" is not the issue. The issue is
> objective and can be restated as follows:
>
> In systems based on Java-style exception handling the addition of a
> new exception type to those that can be generated by a given method
> can silently turn some callers of that method from correct to
> incorrect (and even dangerous).
In practice this never happens; take a look at how often a public API
changes; this is a problem in the same scope.
> The discipline required of a general-purpose library author to use
> Java exceptions safely is, therefore, essentially the very same
> discipline required to use error-codes safely: check for every error
> you know about and handle the case when you got a "surprise" error, at
> _every_call_.
I understand your reasoning but I reject it due to the fact that my classes
will not compile when the change you think will break things has occurred,
which in practice makes the issue a non-issue you really don't want to
guard for.
In other words; I won't use an API if it suddenly decides to add an
exception, just as much as I would not use an API when it suddenly changes
its API in any other incompatible manner.
[part removed that uses rejected point to prove more is breaking]
> p.s. If, on the other hand, you're really here to wave your arms
> around and say "Tom's a Jerk" and leave in a huff (or an minute and a
> huff), well, you're joining a fine tradition and a long line so you'll
> have to do it in a pretty pithy way if you want to stand out :-)
Working to get a better product does not involve running away for problems.
> You wrote:
> > A more mature; "I understand, but [Java-esque exceptions are]
> > not for me" would not leave such a foul taste in my mouth.
>
> Well, please have the good taste to recognize that, especially
> across the internet, not least across language and cultural
> barriers, that that "foul taste" may very well be nothing more than
> an emergent property of the communications process reflecting poorly
> on neither party, and best responded to by a tasteful grace rather
> than a tedious defamation.
The usage of the internet across these boundaries will inevitably produce
friction of some kind; expressing such perceived problems as a suggestion
to the other party, without any name calling or other dehumanizing
properties seemed like a good way to work towards a better understanding.
I'm afraid that my grace will never reach the levels you request; please
bear with me while we both learn to work together with the world at large.
Cheers!
- --
Thomas Zander
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- Re: [Gnu-arch-users] Nit, (continued)
- Re: [Gnu-arch-users] Nit, zander, 2003/10/21
- Re: [Gnu-arch-users] Nit, Tom Lord, 2003/10/21
- Re: [Gnu-arch-users] Nit, zander, 2003/10/21
- Re: [Gnu-arch-users] Nit, Tom Lord, 2003/10/21
- Re: [Gnu-arch-users] Nit, Charles Duffy, 2003/10/21
- Re: [Gnu-arch-users] Nit, Tom Lord, 2003/10/21
- Re: [Gnu-arch-users] Nit, Andrew Suffield, 2003/10/21
- Re: [Gnu-arch-users] Nit,
Thomas Zander <=
- Re: [Gnu-arch-users] Nit, Tom Lord, 2003/10/22
- Re: [Gnu-arch-users] Nit, Tom Lord, 2003/10/22
- Re: [Gnu-arch-users] Nit, Ben Burns, 2003/10/22
- Re: [Gnu-arch-users] Nit, Momchil Velikov, 2003/10/22
- Re: [Gnu-arch-users] Nit, Tom Lord, 2003/10/22
- Re: [Gnu-arch-users] Nit, Dustin Sallings, 2003/10/21
- Re: [Gnu-arch-users] Nit, Tom Lord, 2003/10/21
- Re: [Gnu-arch-users] Nit, Dustin Sallings, 2003/10/21
- Re: [Gnu-arch-users] Nit, Miles Bader, 2003/10/21
- Re: [Gnu-arch-users] Nit, Tom Lord, 2003/10/21