Thomas,

I acknowledge your point that using OOP one can write very bad code and the use of public variables does not prevent a developer from writing good code. As long as you are maintaining the code and know and follow your own rules, things could go just fine.

I think Borislav brings up the most relevant point, however. Using public variables is like leaving a minefield for a developer that has to follow you in maintaining or modifying your code. (And that developer might be you if you haven't touched the code for a few months and modified your own patterns.)

From Steve McConnell's Code Complete: "Public data members are, in my view, always a bad idea. They blur the line between interface and implementation, and they inherently violate encapsulation and limit future flexibility."

The simple truth of that statement is undeniable. The degree to which you achieve encapsulation and cohesion is the degree to which extension and modification of your code will be simpler. Public variables do not make it impossible to write decent code but they make it a whole lot harder. If you want to make your life harder, that is certainly your prerogative.

pamela