4 ms·

Having access to private data (implementation details) is another reason to have a member function. Unless you're a fan of `friend` keyword ;)

• throwawayaway 12y ago
  i think you need to read my comment again because "private:" in a class is not the only way to implement private data. you are only repeating what the parent commenter said.
  • zura 12y ago
    Well, to follow your line - virtual functions can also be implemented with some function pointer stuff within C. We're not discussing implementing various C++ stuff in C, we're talking about C++ itself.
    • throwawayaway 12y ago
      be that as it may, it requires more keystrokes to implement virtual functions in C than it does in C++. however, it requires less keystrokes to implement private data in C, than it does to create a class to store private data. therefore it's questionable, if you are preferring non member non friend functions, whether you should use classes when you want private data. i refute the idea that private data is a reason to use classes, if you are preferring non member non friend functions as advocated by Stroustrup, Meyers and Stepanov. as i said already > There's very little reason for class members unless you want inheritance or polymorphism.