C++: rationale behind hiding rule

Question

What\'s the rationale behind the hiding rule in C++?

class A { void f(int); }
class B : public A { void f(double); } // B::f(int) is hidden

Answer 1

i don't know the original rationale, but since hide or not hide are about equally bad choices wrt. to functions, i'm guessing the rationale is to have uniform rules: the same as for names defined in nested curly-braces scopes.

the hiding helps you in some ways.

adding a method to a base class will by default not affect overload resolution for a derived class.

and you do not run afoul of overload resolution by some mishap directing your call with say argument false, to a base class method with formal argument void*. such things.

cheers & hth.,