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.
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.