al generic or native path format support encourages program 
    portability, yet still allows communication with users in system specific 
    formats.<br>
&nbsp;</li>
  </ul>
  </li>
  <li><b>Error handling and reporting via C++ exceptions (the default) or error 
  codes.</b><br>
&nbsp;<ul>
    <li>C++ exceptions are the preferred error reporting mechanism for most 
    applications. The exception thrown includes the detailed error code 
    information important for diagnosing the exact cause of file sys