diff --git a/dist/recline.dataset.js b/dist/recline.dataset.js
index 4c4b3e38..cce33d6e 100644
--- a/dist/recline.dataset.js
+++ b/dist/recline.dataset.js
@@ -262,22 +262,8 @@ my.Dataset = Backbone.Model.extend({
 
   // ### _backendFromString(backendString)
   //
-  // See backend argument to initialize for details
+  // Look up a backend module from a backend string (look in recline.Backend)
   _backendFromString: function(backendString) {
-    var parts = backendString.split('.');
-    // walk through the specified path xxx.yyy.zzz to get the final object which should be backend class
-    var current = window;
-    for(ii=0;ii<parts.length;ii++) {
-      if (!current) {
-        break;
-      }
-      current = current[parts[ii]];
-    }
-    if (current) {
-      return current;
-    }
-
-    // alternatively we just had a simple string
     var backend = null;
     if (recline && recline.Backend) {
       _.each(_.keys(recline.Backend), function(name) {
diff --git a/dist/recline.js b/dist/recline.js
index f3d4605a..432d97bb 100644
--- a/dist/recline.js
+++ b/dist/recline.js
@@ -1438,22 +1438,8 @@ my.Dataset = Backbone.Model.extend({
 
   // ### _backendFromString(backendString)
   //
-  // See backend argument to initialize for details
+  // Look up a backend module from a backend string (look in recline.Backend)
   _backendFromString: function(backendString) {
-    var parts = backendString.split('.');
-    // walk through the specified path xxx.yyy.zzz to get the final object which should be backend class
-    var current = window;
-    for(ii=0;ii<parts.length;ii++) {
-      if (!current) {
-        break;
-      }
-      current = current[parts[ii]];
-    }
-    if (current) {
-      return current;
-    }
-
-    // alternatively we just had a simple string
     var backend = null;
     if (recline && recline.Backend) {
       _.each(_.keys(recline.Backend), function(name) {
diff --git a/docs/models.markdown b/docs/models.markdown
index 6f2b42b1..698f8216 100644
--- a/docs/models.markdown
+++ b/docs/models.markdown
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ var dataset = new recline.model.Dataset({
   // information about data source e.g.
   url: http://url.to.my.data.endpoint/
   // backend string or object
-  backend: the backend we are using - see below
+  backend: a string identifying the backend we are using - see below
 });
 
 // initialize dataset with data from the backend.
@@ -55,7 +55,10 @@ dataset.docCount // total number of Records in the last query
   fields on this Dataset (this can be set explicitly, or, will be set by
   Dataset.fetch()
 * docCount: total number of records in this dataset
-* backend: the Backend (instance) for this Dataset.
+* backend: the Backend (instance) for this Dataset. (NB: this is a the backend
+  attribute on the object itself not the backend in the Backbone attributes
+  i.e. the result of dataset.get('backend'). The latter is a string identifying
+  the backend.
 * queryState: a `Query` object which stores current queryState.  queryState may
   be edited by other components (e.g. a query editor view) changes will trigger
   a Dataset query.
diff --git a/src/model.js b/src/model.js
index 3d4e9299..ffc33d00 100644
--- a/src/model.js
+++ b/src/model.js
@@ -262,22 +262,8 @@ my.Dataset = Backbone.Model.extend({
 
   // ### _backendFromString(backendString)
   //
-  // See backend argument to initialize for details
+  // Look up a backend module from a backend string (look in recline.Backend)
   _backendFromString: function(backendString) {
-    var parts = backendString.split('.');
-    // walk through the specified path xxx.yyy.zzz to get the final object which should be backend class
-    var current = window;
-    for(ii=0;ii<parts.length;ii++) {
-      if (!current) {
-        break;
-      }
-      current = current[parts[ii]];
-    }
-    if (current) {
-      return current;
-    }
-
-    // alternatively we just had a simple string
     var backend = null;
     if (recline && recline.Backend) {
       _.each(_.keys(recline.Backend), function(name) {