window never returns the global object

[annevk]

It returns the "global this value".

Re: https://tc39.github.io/ecma262/#sec-global-object.

[getify]

I apparently am uninformed on this topic... what's the difference (anything observable to userland code?) between the "global object" itself, and the "global this value"?

[getify]

I apparently am uninformed on this topic... what's the difference (anything observable to userland code?) between the "global object" itself, and the "global this value"?

[annevk]

See WindowProxy (global this value) and Window (actual global) in the HTML Standard: https://html.spec.whatwg.org/.

[annevk]

See WindowProxy (global this value) and Window (actual global) in the HTML Standard: https://html.spec.whatwg.org/.

[ljharb]

I think using the "global this value" - specifically, GetThisBinding(), should suffice?

[ljharb]

I think using the "global this value" - specifically, GetThisBinding(), should suffice?

[domenic]

The sentence in question is

This may include a property whose value is the global object itself; for example, in the HTML document object model the window property of the global object is the global object itself.

Modifying that to say "the global this value" would kind of defeat the purpose of the sentence.

Maybe instead it should be changed to talk about Node.js? Although they might also have a global this value/global object distinction inherited from V8.

Maybe the sentence should just be removed.

[domenic]

The sentence in question is

This may include a property whose value is the global object itself; for example, in the HTML document object model the window property of the global object is the global object itself.

Modifying that to say "the global this value" would kind of defeat the purpose of the sentence.

Maybe instead it should be changed to talk about Node.js? Although they might also have a global this value/global object distinction inherited from V8.

Maybe the sentence should just be removed.

[allenwb]

Another sentence from the ES1 spec bites the dust.

Maybe it could say "...the window property of the global object used to be..."

[allenwb]

Another sentence from the ES1 spec bites the dust.

Maybe it could say "...the window property of the global object used to be..."

[ryzokuken]

@domenic @allenwb @ljharb how should this be taken care of?

Maybe instead it should be changed to talk about Node.js? Although they might also have a global this value/global object distinction inherited from V8.

Node behaves somewhat similarly:

// browser
window === this // => true
// node.js
global === this // => true

We could either:

(A) Change it to include what Node does, but IMHO that doesn't solve the original issue (it not correctly specifying the behavior in the browser)
(B) Change global object itself to global this value
(C) Remove the line, although shouldn't that really be the last resort?

[ryzokuken]

@domenic @allenwb @ljharb how should this be taken care of?

Maybe instead it should be changed to talk about Node.js? Although they might also have a global this value/global object distinction inherited from V8.

Node behaves somewhat similarly:

// browser
window === this // => true
// node.js
global === this // => true

We could either:

(A) Change it to include what Node does, but IMHO that doesn't solve the original issue (it not correctly specifying the behavior in the browser)
(B) Change global object itself to global this value
(C) Remove the line, although shouldn't that really be the last resort?

[littledan]

Just removing the sentence sounds OK to me; it's hard to see how it could be clarified in a way that's helpful.

[littledan]

Just removing the sentence sounds OK to me; it's hard to see how it could be clarified in a way that's helpful.

[ryzokuken]

@littledan will submit a patch for this later today. Just to make sure: the whole sentence should be removed and not just the example?

diff --git a/spec.html b/spec.html
index 509bff1..cb47027 100644
--- a/spec.html
+++ b/spec.html
@@ -23067,7 +23067,7 @@
     <li>does not have a [[Construct]] internal method; it cannot be used as a constructor with the `new` operator.</li>
     <li>does not have a [[Call]] internal method; it cannot be invoked as a function.</li>
     <li>has a [[Prototype]] internal slot whose value is implementation-dependent.</li>
-    <li>may have host defined properties in addition to the properties defined in this specification. This may include a property whose value is the global object itself; for example, in the HTML document object model the `window` property of the global object is the global object itself.</li>
+    <li>may have host defined properties in addition to the properties defined in this specification.</li>
   </ul>
 
   <emu-clause id="sec-value-properties-of-the-global-object">

[ryzokuken]

@littledan will submit a patch for this later today. Just to make sure: the whole sentence should be removed and not just the example?

diff --git a/spec.html b/spec.html
index 509bff1..cb47027 100644
--- a/spec.html
+++ b/spec.html
@@ -23067,7 +23067,7 @@
     <li>does not have a [[Construct]] internal method; it cannot be used as a constructor with the `new` operator.</li>
     <li>does not have a [[Call]] internal method; it cannot be invoked as a function.</li>
     <li>has a [[Prototype]] internal slot whose value is implementation-dependent.</li>
-    <li>may have host defined properties in addition to the properties defined in this specification. This may include a property whose value is the global object itself; for example, in the HTML document object model the `window` property of the global object is the global object itself.</li>
+    <li>may have host defined properties in addition to the properties defined in this specification.</li>
   </ul>
 
   <emu-clause id="sec-value-properties-of-the-global-object">

[ryzokuken]

P.S. I made a PR just removing the example and not the whole sentence, will update if needed.

[ryzokuken]

P.S. I made a PR just removing the example and not the whole sentence, will update if needed.