4 ms·

I struggle to find a definitive source, but I think John Goodenough is also credited with the invention of the try/catch block in programming.

jacquesm 3y ago
I somewhat doubt that, though he was involved in some of the materials science behind RAM memory. https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1449951/what-language-was-the-first-to-implement-exception-handling https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1449951/what-language-wa...
1-6 3y ago
try/catch, the ultimate goodenough ending.
mkl 3y ago
You're probably thinking of the two papers referenced here, "The first papers on structured exception handling": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exception_handling#History https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exception_handling#History These came well after exception handling was first developed, but are by a John B Goodenough. However, I think it's a different John B Goodenough: https://www.sei.cmu.edu/about/leadership/display.cfm?customel_datapageid_2623=3002 https://www.sei.cmu.edu/about/leadership/display.cfm?custome...
- PurpleRamen 3y ago
  This is really strange. How are there two people with the same rare surname who make history, and have not just the same first name, but even the same middle letter? I'm curious if that family name is so rare that they are actually related, and whether it's some custom in that family to name the kids that way.
  - isleyaardvark 3y ago
    We're in the Buckaroo Banzai dimension.
    - hiccuphippo 3y ago
      Maybe their parents liked rock music from the future. Go Johnny go, go.
  - mkl 3y ago
    I spent a while trying to find a family connection but didn't succeed. There is an American custom for fathers to name their sons after themselves, as if trying to deny them their own identity; Bill Gates is the third William Henry Gates in a row, for example.
  - Tade0 3y ago
    My name is unusual for my generation - so much so that in my extended social circle I have just one namesake roughly my age. One side effect is that I was memorable just by virtue of having such a name. I suspect that in the case of both of the John Goodenoughs people generally never forgot that first impression - and that goes a long way.
- stavros 3y ago
  His name was "John B Goodenough"? And John was good enough? You can't make this up.
Findecanor 3y ago
If it was not him, then it was another John B. Goodenough located not far from him in the mid-1970s (SofTech, Lowell, Massachusetts vs. MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts)
ilyt 3y ago
"good enough" error handling

jacquesm 3y ago

I somewhat doubt that, though he was involved in some of the materials science behind RAM memory. https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1449951/what-language-was-the-first-to-implement-exception-handling https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1449951/what-language-wa...

1-6 3y ago

try/catch, the ultimate goodenough ending.

mkl 3y ago

You're probably thinking of the two papers referenced here, "The first papers on structured exception handling": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exception_handling#History https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exception_handling#History These came well after exception handling was first developed, but are by a John B Goodenough. However, I think it's a different John B Goodenough: https://www.sei.cmu.edu/about/leadership/display.cfm?customel_datapageid_2623=3002 https://www.sei.cmu.edu/about/leadership/display.cfm?custome...

PurpleRamen 3y ago
This is really strange. How are there two people with the same rare surname who make history, and have not just the same first name, but even the same middle letter? I'm curious if that family name is so rare that they are actually related, and whether it's some custom in that family to name the kids that way.
- isleyaardvark 3y ago
  We're in the Buckaroo Banzai dimension.
  - hiccuphippo 3y ago
    Maybe their parents liked rock music from the future. Go Johnny go, go.
- mkl 3y ago
  I spent a while trying to find a family connection but didn't succeed. There is an American custom for fathers to name their sons after themselves, as if trying to deny them their own identity; Bill Gates is the third William Henry Gates in a row, for example.
- Tade0 3y ago
  My name is unusual for my generation - so much so that in my extended social circle I have just one namesake roughly my age. One side effect is that I was memorable just by virtue of having such a name. I suspect that in the case of both of the John Goodenoughs people generally never forgot that first impression - and that goes a long way.
stavros 3y ago
His name was "John B Goodenough"? And John was good enough? You can't make this up.

Findecanor 3y ago

If it was not him, then it was another John B. Goodenough located not far from him in the mid-1970s (SofTech, Lowell, Massachusetts vs. MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts)

ilyt 3y ago

"good enough" error handling