title: Optional Parameters, Good or Bad?
body: <p>I am writing and browsing through a lot of methods in the project im working with and as much as I think <code>overloads</code> are useful I think that having a simple <code>optional parameter</code> with a default value can get around the problem aiding in writing more readable and I would think efficient code.</p>
  
  <p>Now I hear that using these parmeters in the methods could carry nasty side effects.</p>
  
  <p>What are these side effects and is it worth the risk of using these parameters to keep the code clean ???</p>