Algebraic effects are positioned as a new paradigm in handling side effects in programming, potentially transforming how developers manage exceptions and effectful computations. They allow for operations akin to 'throwing' and 'catching' effects but promise greater flexibility and composability. Commenters argue about their resemblance to existing concepts such as monadic error handling and note a trend towards their adoption in contemporary programming languages. Some users express enthusiasm over the innovation while others call for clearer explanations of tangible benefits, particularly in relation to concepts like dependency injection and performance. Overall, while algebraic effects may simply be a renaming of older ideas, they signal a shift in how language design could evolve to better handle complex programming challenges.