I'm currently working on something that requires a GPU with CUDA at runtime. If something went wrong while initializing the GPU, then that'd be an exceptuion/bug/"programming error" most likely. If the user somehow ended up sending data to the GPU that isn't compatible/couldn't be converted or whatever, then that'd be an user error, they could probably fix that themselves.
But then for example if there is no GPU at all on the system, it's neither a "programming error" nor something the user could really do something about, but it is exceptional, and requires us to stop and not continue.
> If something went wrong while initializing the GPU, then that'd be an exceptuion/bug/"programming error" most likely.
That depends if it is due to the programmer making a mistake in the code or an environmental condition (e.g. failing hardware). The former is exceptional if detected, a bug if not detected (i.e. the program errantly carries on as if nothing happened, much the dismay of the user), while the latter is a regular error.
> But then for example if there is no GPU at all on the system, it's neither a "programming error" nor something the user could really do something about, but it is exceptional
Not having a GPU isn't exceptional in any sense of the word. It is very much an expected condition. Normally the programmer will probe the system to detect if there is one and if there isn't, fall back to some other option (e.g. CPU processing or, at very least, gracefully exiting with feedback on how to resolve).
The programmer failing to do that is exceptional, though. Exceptions are "runtime compiler errors". A theoretical compiler could detect that you forgot to check for the presence of a GPU before your program is ever run.
The grey area is malfunctioning CPU/memory. That isn't programmer error, but we also don't have a good way to think about it as a regular error either. This is what "bug" was originally intended to refer to, but that usage moved on long ago and there is seemingly no replacement.
That’s interesting. I’d actually consider this a user error because it’s only in the user’s power to fix it.
For example:
1. You’d want to display a message that they need a GPU.
2. Call stack information isn’t helpful in diagnosing the issue.