Why are typedef names in the same name space as variable names?

[BEATTIE]

> Why are typedef names in the same name space as variable names?  In C
> this presents very few problems, but in C++ it causes problems.  Since
> class names are implicitly made into typedef names, they are also in the
> same name space as variable names.  This means that you cannot have
> something like:
> 
> 	struct foo { /* ... */ };
> 
> 	int foo;
> 
> in C++.
> 				Don Nash

To avoid things like:
	foo foo;
Tom.