Thank you for taking the time to write to us, but this is not
a bug. Please double-check the documentation available at
http://www.php.net/manual/ and the instructions on how to report
a bug at http://bugs.php.net/how-to-report.php

See <https://www.php.net/manual/en/reserved.variables.globals.php>.

$GLOBALS["now"] and $now are the same variable in the global scope and there is no point to write $GLOBALS at all outside functions

<?php
$GLOBALS["now"] = time();
print "Year is " . strftime("%Y", $GLOBALS["now"]) . "\n";
$now = new DateTime("now");
print "Year is " . strftime("%Y", $GLOBALS["now"]) . "\n";
?>

versus

<?php
test();
function test()
{
 $GLOBALS["now"] = time();
 print "Year is " . strftime("%Y", $GLOBALS["now"]) . "\n";
 $now = new DateTime("now");
 print "Year is " . strftime("%Y", $GLOBALS["now"]) . "\n";
}
?>

I've been programming with PHP for about 15 years now.  I've always assumed the $GLOBALS was a reference to an array of variables unrelated to the variables defined outside of functions and classes.

I would also like to propose that these should be treated as separate.  The variable defined outside of a function or class is simply a local variable outside of a function or class.

> I would also like to propose that these should be treated as separate.  The
> variable defined outside of a function or class is simply a local variable
> outside of a function or class.
I have a counter-proposal for you:

Don't use $GLOBALS.

> I've been programming with PHP for about 15 years now. I've always 
> assumed the $GLOBALS was a reference to an array of variables 
> unrelated to the variables defined outside of functions and classes.

it's heroic to state that one did not understand lanuage basics withn 15 years of usage and even proposes to change basic concepts

https://www.php.net/manual/en/reserved.variables.globals.php
https://www.php.net/manual/en/language.variables.scope.php

An associative array containing references to all variables which are currently defined in the global scope of the script. The variable names are the keys of the array.

> The variable defined outside of a function or class is simply 
> a local variable outside of a function or class

nonsense - you had 15 years time to learn some basics like https://www.php.net/manual/en/language.variables.scope.php

frankly if you write $GLOBALÖS['foo'] or global $foo withina function is the same and when you write $GLOBALS in the global scope you waste performance for no good reason (useless )

php > echo $GLOBALS['x'];
filename:       php shell code
function name:  (null)
number of ops:  4
compiled vars:  none
line     #* E I O op                           fetch          ext  return  operands
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   1     0  E >   FETCH_R                      global              ~0      'GLOBALS'
         1        FETCH_DIM_R                                      ~1      ~0, 'x'
         2        ECHO                                                     ~1
   2     3      > RETURN                                                   null

branch: #  0; line:     1-    2; sop:     0; eop:     3; out0:  -2
path #1: 0,
php > echo $x;
filename:       php shell code
function name:  (null)
number of ops:  2
compiled vars:  !0 = $x
line     #* E I O op                           fetch          ext  return  operands
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   1     0  E >   ECHO                                                     !0
   2     1      > RETURN                                                   null

branch: #  0; line:     1-    2; sop:     0; eop:     1; out0:  -2
path #1: 0,
php >

> The variable defined outside of a function or class is simply 
> a local variable outside of a function or class

to make it clear - it even is - but yoz have to replace "local" with "scope" and $GLOBALS is to access variables in the global scope from functions/methods

it's all about scopes

Thanks.