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Re: null and NaN

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On 06/06/15 03:39, Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn wrote:
> Joao Rodrigues wrote:
>
>> On 02/06/2015 14:28, Stefan Ram wrote:
>>>     Sometimes, it has been questioned whether it was wise to
>>>     implement
>>>
>>> typeof null
>>> "object"
>>
>> It happens due to a bug in the first version of JS [1].
>>
>> [1] <http://www.2ality.com/2013/10/typeof-null.html>
>
> Again, your research is flawed.  You are still lacking the healthy
> scepticism that is the mark of a good scientist.  What you are citing is
> *unsubstantiated*, *non-authoritative* *speculation*; likely a historian’s
> fallacy. [1]

Nonsense.

>
> It could be a bug, but it could also have been *intentional*.  Only Brendan
> Eich, sole author of the first JavaScript version [2], can say for sure.

Yes, Brendan once considered the need to fix typeof [1], but rejected 
that proposal stating: "I think it is too late to fix typeof. The change 
proposed for typeof null will break existing code."

[1] <http://wiki.ecmascript.org/doku.php?id=proposals:typeof>

In another discussion [2], he wrote: "In general, typeof seems like a 
mess that will be hard to reform sensibly."

[2] <http://wiki.ecmascript.org/doku.php?id=discussion:typeof>

>
> However, that the ECMAScript Language Specification [3], the standard which
> is originally based on JavaScript 1.1 and JScript 1.0 (ibid.), says:
>
> ,-[1st edition]
> |
> | 4.3.11 Null
> |
> | Null is a primitive value that represents the null, empty, or nonexistent
> | reference
>    ^^^^^^^^^
>
> ,-[2nd Edition]
> |
> | 4.3.11 Null value
> |
> | The null value is a primitive value that represents the null, empty, or
> | non-existent reference.
>                 ^^^^^^^^^
>
> ,-[Edition 3]
> |
> | 4.3.11 Null Value
> |
> | The null value is a primitive value that represents the null, empty, or
> | non-existent reference.
>                 ^^^^^^^^^
>
> ,-[5th Edition]
> |
> | 4.3.11
> |
> | null value
> | primitive value that represents the intentional absence of any
> | object value.
>    ^^^^^^
>
> ,-[5.1 Edition]
> |
> | 4.3.11 null value
> |
> |   primitive value that represents the intentional absence
>                                          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> |   of any object value
>             ^^^^^
>
> ,-[6th Edition Final draft [4]]
> |
> | 4.3.12
> |
> | null value
> | primitive value that represents the intentional absence of any
> | object value
>    ^^^^^^
>
> indicates that it is _not_ a bug.  “null” *has* something to do with objects
> that other primitive values have not.

These references only prove that JS was prematurely standardized, making 
necessary corrections more difficult to be implemented.


-- 
Joao Rodrigues

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Re: null and NaN Joao Rodrigues <groups_jr-1@yahoo.com.br> - 2015-06-05 00:55 -0300
  Re: null and NaN Robert Heller <heller@deepsoft.com> - 2015-06-05 06:57 -0500
    Re: null and NaN Steven D'Aprano <steve@pearwood.info> - 2015-06-07 18:47 +1000
  Re: null and NaN Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn <PointedEars@web.de> - 2015-06-06 08:39 +0200
    Re: null and NaN Joao Rodrigues <groups_jr-1@yahoo.com.br> - 2015-06-06 23:15 -0300
      Re: null and NaN Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn <PointedEars@web.de> - 2015-06-07 09:59 +0200
        Re: null and NaN Joao Rodrigues <groups_jr-1@yahoo.com.br> - 2015-06-07 22:30 -0300
          Re: null and NaN Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn <PointedEars@web.de> - 2015-06-10 20:48 +0200
            Re: null and NaN Joao Rodrigues <groups_jr-1@yahoo.com.br> - 2015-06-11 10:01 -0300
              Re: null and NaN "Christoph M. Becker" <cmbecker69@arcor.de> - 2015-06-11 15:28 +0200
                Re: null and NaN Joao Rodrigues <groups_jr-1@yahoo.com.br> - 2015-06-11 11:34 -0300
                Re: null and NaN "Christoph M. Becker" <cmbecker69@arcor.de> - 2015-06-11 21:07 +0200
                Re: null and NaN Joao Rodrigues <groups_jr-1@yahoo.com.br> - 2015-06-11 17:29 -0300
                Re: null and NaN "Christoph M. Becker" <cmbecker69@arcor.de> - 2015-06-11 23:15 +0200

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