> Defaults that can cause subtle errors are worse than a program abort with an error message Agreed. I've heard this expressed as "fail fast and fail loud", w

> Defaults that can cause subtle errors are worse than a program abort with an error message Agreed. I've heard this expressed as "fail fast and fail loud", with a succinct elucidation found here: http://www.faqs.org/docs/artu/ch01s06.html#id2878548 http://www.faqs.org/docs/artu/ch01s06.html#id2878548