crack the output!

[Anshuman Acharya]

the output of this is true... i was just goofing around and seeing the o/ps for some unique cases...
can anyone explain this.. i guess
a null is a null is a null!
//code
class a{
static String s1;
static String s2 = new String(s1);
public static void main(String args[]){
System.out.println(s1 == s2);
}
}
//code ends here

[Anshuman Acharya]

also, this code gives no o/p...
tho' o and s both are null the equals method of String returns a false if the argument passed to it is not of type String-
//code
class a{
public static void main(String args[]){
Object o = new Object();
String s = new String();
if(s.equals(o))
System.out.println("We are Equal");}
}
//code ends

[S Dave]

to my surprise when i printed out o and s I got a blank for s while
" java.lang.Object@72068142 " for o.

[Anshuman Acharya]

an interesting observation Sweekriti!
While the toString method for String returns the string literal representation(which in this case is nothing) for Object it returns the name of the class of which the object is an instance and the hexadecimal rep. of its hash code separated by the @ symbol.
HEnce, it is always advisable for user-made objects to override the toString method if they want a meaningful representation.

[natarajan meghanathan]

Anshuman,
I get a null pointer exception when i ran the code u have posted. I think it should give null pointer exception because, s1 = null and u r trying s1 == s2.
thanks.

[Wong KK]

I can't run the above code too. I am using JDK1.2.2
It gives :
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.ExceptionInInitializerError: java.lang.Null
PointerException:
Please clarify.

[Anshuman Acharya]

sorry folks i am wrong... and the sad fact is that so are you, natrajan!
the thing is that the nullpointerexception pops from the fact that s2 is being built upon a null reference in its assignment.
declare s2 as String s2; and you'll get true.. try it...

[natarajan meghanathan]

Yes Anshuman,
After i posted it it flashed in my mind. It is due to s2 rather than s1. And if we do String s2, it is obviously true.
thanx.