Comparing Exceptions and Errors

[Ola Fosheim Grøstad]

On Sunday, 5 June 2022 at 03:43:16 UTC, Paul Backus wrote:
> See here:
>
> https://bloomberg.github.io/bde-resources/pdfs/Contracts_Undefined_Behavior_and_Defensive_Programming.pdf

Not all software is banking applications. If an assert fails that 
means that the program logic is wrong, not that the program is in 
an invalid state. (Invalid state is a stochastic consequence and 
detection can happen mich later).

So that means that you should just stop the program. It means 
that you should shut down all running instances of that program 
on all computers across the globe. That is the logical 
consequence of this perspective, and it makes sense for a banking 
database.

It does not make sense for the constructor of Ants in a computer 
game service.

It is better to have an enjoyable game delivered with fewer ants 
than a black screen all weekend.

You can make the same argument for an interpreter: if an assert 
fails in the intrrpreter code then that could be a fault in the 
interpreter therefore you should shut down all programs being run 
by that interpreter.

The reality is that software is layered. Faults at different 
layers should have different consequences at the discretion of a 
capable programmer.