From: "Peña, Botp" <botp@...>
Date: 2008-03-26T17:15:39+09:00
Subject: Re: private(true) || private :make_time, what does it do? why?

From: Rie! [mailto:ariekusumaatmaja2@gmail.com] 
# could anyone explain to me why this private takes an argument 
# and what it does?

qri is your friend

botp@pc4all:~$ qri private
--------------------------------------------------------- Module#private
     private                 => self
     private(symbol, ...)    => self
------------------------------------------------------------------------
     With no arguments, sets the default visibility for subsequently
     defined methods to private. With arguments, sets the named methods
     to have private visibility.

        module Mod
          def a()  end
          def b()  end
          private
          def c()  end
          private :a
        end
        Mod.private_instance_methods   #=> ["a", "c"]


kind regards -botp