That's another one you can compile youself.
Static variables are initialized to their default values when the class is loaded, constructors have nothing to do with it.
However, I believe that the compiler writers have made the assumption that if
final is used in this context, the programmer probably intended that the variable should have a value different to its default. Perhaps a warning would have been better than an error, but it's better to be double sure in such cases. Maybe the
Java Language Spec has something to say about it. (Take a look at section 13.4.8.)
(Marlene is just gonna love this one...)
[ March 31, 2003: Message edited by: Barry Gaunt ]