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Free Web-Based Exception Reporting

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the interesting-concept-awaiting-execution dept.

Tsar writes "Promethean Personal Software (makers of Sherpa, a code generating tool for db apps) have quietly released ExceptionCollection, a free (as in beer) online service for developers using any SOAP-enabled environment. You sign up on the site, download their component, add three or four lines of code to your app, and any exceptions thrown by your users get logged at ExceptionCollection.com for your later perusal (the last 100 anyway). There are several options, like whether reporting requires user approval. Is this as cool as it looks, or a solution in search of a problem?"

5 of 145 comments (clear)

  1. exceptions? don't use 'em by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I don't like exceptions because you have to catch them. Exception based coding is for amateurs.

    Real professionals like me, who graduated at the top of his class from Rockhurst College in Kansas City, a top college - pass return codes around rather than do all that exception baloney.

    And it is some big time BALONEY.

    1. Re:exceptions? don't use 'em by mysticwhiskey · · Score: 5, Funny

      And the exception's travelling far out-field, up, up , up! Yes, there's the AC, he's under it, almost a certain catch! NO! He doesn't catch it! What's this? He writing on post-it note! He hands it to the umpire... let's switch to the umpire-cam... and the result is... "Code -99 : Exception not caught, glove object not instantiated".

      --

      Stuck down a hole! In the middle of the night! With an owl!

    2. Re:exceptions? don't use 'em by Jeremy+Singer · · Score: 5, Insightful

      What if your code throws some exception you weren't expecting, even though you use return codes?
      Examples:
      1. Your code invokes a method on an object you didn't code, and it throws an exception. Wouldn't it be nice to know where the exception happened?
      2. You made an unanticipated mistake! Your code throws a null pointer exception. Of course, if you are perfect, this never happens.

  2. [sarcasm]what a great idea![/sarcasm] by aranganath · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I can't think of any reason NOT to send detailed information about where my application is broken and possibly exploitable to one centralized location that I maintain no control over.

    I wonder what they do with their exceptions.

  3. Re:It's a solution, but not a complete one by Darkling-MHCN · · Score: 5, Informative

    I once had an issue with my compaq blue screening returning out of sleep mode, I'd installed every update on compaq's website and scoured the net for a solution.

    One day out of sheer desparation I decided to send the report off to Microsoft and to my surprise it came back with a link to a support website giving very obscure step by step instructions which magically resolved my problem.

    I don't often get exceptions in windows where I'm at a loss for an explanation as to the cause, but in future when I do I'll definitely be posting them to Microsoft.