The alternatives outside Bell Labs were just as capable.

I don't think compilers allowing trash through is a good thing.

That's an opinion, another one would be that the flexibility allowed by undefined behavior is one of C's strengths at the same time. Strength/weakness are often two sides of the same coin. Which is why these discussions get a bit circular.

Have you ever seen the error steamroller? https://github.com/mattdiamond/fuckitjs

ON ERROR RESUME NEXT rears its ugly head again