Is public by default an unsafe default?

[WhoMeAgain]

On Wednesday, 1 May 2024 at 11:52:30 UTC, NotYouAgain wrote:
> No doubt this will create controversy too.. why.. I don't 
> know... but anyway....
>
> Declarations within a D module (other than import declarations) 
> are public by default.
> This includes public by default in a class too btw.
>
> Programmers from many of the other major languages will have to 
> deal with this surprise (in addition to the surprise of how 
> private has taken on a completely new meaning in D).

It was neither a surprise nor anything to deal with for me. My 
previous "major" languages, one had a separate interface section, 
and the other used namespaces.


> Question 1 - is 'public by default' a sensible default for a 
> language that is aiming to be safe by default?

visibility has nothing to do with memory safety


> Question 2 - if public is not a sensible default for a language 
> that is aiming to be safe by default, is it too late to change 
> it?

Yes.


> Question 3 - if a change was made, what would become the new 
> default?

This wont change, it would break existing code, and has zero 
benefit.


> Please be respectful in your comments, if you have anything to 
> say.

"If you have to ask for respect then you do not deserve it" - 
Abraham Lincoln