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Some languages support tuples - you can also use stuff like ADTs to the same effect. I think Go's advantage here is that it's the only way to handle non-panic exceptions, so you won't have systems where half of the errors are handled with exceptions and half with returning tuples, for instance...(I personally like the lack of "throwing exceptions" part, but find the multiple-return somewhat exotic)

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Handling it as tuples is just as fine, but it's important that a language intending to do so be devoid of verbosity and cruft. For example, D supports tuples, but I would not want to attempt Go-style error handling in it: https://rosettacode.org/wiki/Return_multiple_values#D

You make a good point, too, that multiple-return being the only way to do errors is more ideal than the language saying "oh, we support that, but we also have exceptions, too!" At least in a language with Go's philosophy, you can expect other people's libraries and your own code to play by the same rules.

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