protected_vs_private.rb

class AccessPrivate
    def a
    end
    private :a # a is now a private method
 
    def accessing_private
      a              # sure! 
      self.a         # nope! private methods cannot be called with an explicit receiver at all, even if that receiver is "self"
      other_object.a # nope, a is private, you can't get it (but if it was protected, you could!)
    end
end