Create custom exception or use built-in exceptions?

Question

Currently I\'m in the process of writing a client class that utilizes DNS, Sockets, and SSL among other classes that love to throw exceptions. Other people will be implemen

Answer 1

If the BCL contains classes that already convey the meaning you want (ArgumentNullException, for instance), use those.

Reserve using your own exception classes for things that are specific to your API.

If you feel that you can add information, by all means raise your own exception but do not swallow exceptions - propagate them up as inner exceptions of your own.