I've always found C++'s "trend" of handling normal or non-exceptional system errors with exceptions lackluster (and I'm being charitable). Overall trimming things down to (basically) passing around a couple integers and telling the user to check their manual is much better, much less error prone, and much more efficient and deterministic.
Neat, I learned something. I keep smashing C and C++ together on my head.
The notes on that page do suggest the same method I did, however.