try/catch idiom in std.datetime

[Andrei Alexandrescu]

On 11/20/13 12:17 PM, Dicebot wrote:
> On Wednesday, 20 November 2013 at 20:06:04 UTC, Andrei Alexandrescu wrote:
>> What I meant is there are consistent styles that are objectively
>> worse. Consistency is necessary but not sufficient.
>
> And what I meant is this opinion of yours is wrong. Any consistent style
> that is liked by at least one programmer that uses it in practice is no
> worse than any other possible consistent style.

There are a bunch of styles that are consistent yet used by nobody, 
because they are objectively worse. So consistency is not the sole 
requirement. Then you hadn't mentioned "that is liked by at least one 
programmer" which moves the goalposts. Then one programmer can be one 
highly unusual human being, so there is strength in numbers.

Generally I tend to double-check with all-inclusive characterization 
"everybody's doing great" and "agree to disagree" and such. Taken to the 
extreme such a stance does little else than to promote undue relativism. 
So whenever someone asks me to agree to disagree I go back to first 
principles and look for rationale that makes one of the points 
objectively refutable.


Andrei