http://python.org/sf/518846 reports that new-style classes cannot be used as exceptions. I think it is desirable that this is fixed, but I also believe that it conflicts with string exceptions.
Can you explain this conflict? Couldn't this be worked around by making an exception for strings?
Currently, if you write
try: raise "Hallo" except str: pass
the exception will pass through. If "new-style classes" (aka types) are allowed, then the string /should/ be caught.
Gotcha. But I could easily accept a bw compatibility rule that says you can't have a subclass of str (that's not also a subclass of Exception) in the except clause until string exceptions have been removed from the language. All of this is irrelevant though, because...
I think string exceptions are used enough that we should deprecate them on a slower schedule.
If you follow Paul's rationale (exceptions should inherit from Exception), then the bug report could be closed, and no action would be needed until Exception becomes a type.
Fair enough; go ahead and close the bug. --Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)