title: Why have empty get set properties instead of using a public member variable?
body: <blockquote>
    <p><strong>Possible Duplicate:</strong><br>
    <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1180860/c-public-fields-versus-automatic-properties">C#: Public Fields versus Automatic Properties</a>  </p>
    
    <p><strong>Duplicate?  I think not:</strong><br/>
    This question is <strong>not</strong> the same as "Why
    use properties instead of public
    field". A property with a specified
    getter and setter is far different
    than a public field. My question was,
    is a property <strong>WITHOUT</strong> a getter and
    setter, any different.</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>With the somewhat recent ability to have empty getters and setters, what is the benefit of using them instead of just declaring a public member variable?</p>
  
  <p>Example:</p>
  
  <pre><code>public string MyProperty
  {
      get;
      set;
  }
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>versus:</p>
  
  <pre><code>public string MyProperty;
  </code></pre>