why static methods?

[Greg Ewing (using news.cis.dfn.de)]

Uwe Schmitt wrote:
> Can you explain the differences
> between static- and class-functions, too ?

A class method is like a static method except that it
is passed the class as its first parameter when called,
much like an ordinary method is passed the instance
when called.

-- 
Greg Ewing, Computer Science Dept,
University of Canterbury,	
Christchurch, New Zealand
http://www.cosc.canterbury.ac.nz/~greg