It's absolutely a true dichotomy. If unchecked exceptions exist, all code must be carefully written to be exception-safe, and the compiler is not going to help you at all.
Of course it's convenient to be able to ignore error paths when you're writing code. It's also a lot less convenient when those error paths cause unexpected runtime failures and data corruption in production.
A preference for unchecked exceptions is one of my most basic litmus tests for whether a developer prioritizes thinking deeply about invariants and fully modeling system behavior. Those that don't, write buggy code.
Of course it's convenient to be able to ignore error paths when you're writing code. It's also a lot less convenient when those error paths cause unexpected runtime failures and data corruption in production.
A preference for unchecked exceptions is one of my most basic litmus tests for whether a developer prioritizes thinking deeply about invariants and fully modeling system behavior. Those that don't, write buggy code.