Not so much legacy as specifically of the time period where Java was created. C++ doesn't do this (in the standard library, setting a good tone for idiomatic c

Not so much legacy as specifically of the time period where Java was created. C++ doesn't do this (in the standard library, setting a good tone for idiomatic code). Older languages don't abuse the exception idea. Nor do newer ones. (Go is a bad example though, since it took the convenience of Java style exceptions away, but replaced them with nothing)