27 Oct
2009
27 Oct
'09
5:49 p.m.
On Oct 27, 2009, at 1:43 PM, Andrey Semashev wrote: > David Bergman wrote: >> On Oct 27, 2009, at 12:50 PM, Peter Foelsche wrote: >>>> Others noted embedded environments -- very important today -- but >>>> let's look at a broader case. >>> >>> I was talking about C++. >>> C++ includes exception handling. >>> C++ without exception handling does not make any sense, >>> as one cannot perform a fallible resource allocation inside a >>> constructor. >> There is no official recommendation for the language in-between EC+ >> + and C++ - C++ minus exception handling - AFAIK, but it is no >> secret that Boost is targeting that "language" as well, and also C+ >> +/CLI to some extent. >> Strange as it might seem, quite sensical programs have been created >> in this unnamed language, even though one cannot use the sometimes >> nifty feature of throwing in a constructor. So, I fail to see how >> it "does not make any sense." > > I don't want to comment the ASIO-related argument, neither I want to > convert anyone to anything. > > What I want to point out is that IMO, exceptions are sometimes > undeservedly ignored for different reasons. One of such reasons is > developer's commons, if he got used to code without exceptions and/ > or cannot use them properly for the lack of knowledge. Another > reason is attempt to achieve overzealous portability, be that > ancient buggy compilers from the dawn of C++ or some exotic > platforms without exceptions support. All these reasons are valid, > at least for now. > > But for how long? Developers eventually learn things or move to > other languages (C?). Ancient compilers die, new ones become more > popular and more efficient. Exotic platforms also either tend to > decease or evolve. In my mind, error handling through exceptions > should become more preferred over time. Expressing and honoring this > tendency in the Standard for the coming 5 years may not be such a > bad idea after all. I agree with all you said, but (i) one should understand the *current* need for exception-less solutions and (ii) the idea that (C++) code without exception constructs is in some sense nonsensical is, well, nonsensical ;-) - all this while striving for exception handling everywhere possible and try to push compiler writers to make such handling even more efficient. /David