Subj : Re: Array and [ ]
To   : Igor Bukanov
From : Brendan Eich
Date : Sat Jan 22 2005 04:29 pm

Igor Bukanov wrote:
> Hi!
> 
> Consider the following JS:
> 
> function Array()
> {
>     if (typeof alert == "function")
>     alert("Intercepted");
>     else
>     print("Intercepted");
> }
> 
> var x = [];
> 
> 
> In SpiderMonkey and Rhino it prints "Intercepted", while in MS JScript 
> it prints nothing, that is AFAICS in MS JScript [] always uses original 
> Array constructor while SM and Rhino literally follows 11.1.4 in 
> ECMAScript standard which states:
> 
> The production ArrayLiteral : [ Elision opt ] is evaluated as follows:
> 1. Create a new array as if by the expression "new Array()"


The spec is unambiguous here.  Elsewhere, it talks about "the original 
value of the Object.prototype property", or similar such words.  This 
should be fixedd at some point, but I haven't managed to get the ECMA 
TG1 group as a whole to go through the 
http://www.mozilla.org/js/language/E262-3-errata.html yet, let alone 
consider this question.

Another way to fix things is to make Array readonly and permanent in the 
global object (likewise all standard class constructors and other 
predefined global properties).

/be

.