Doubt with assertions - Kathy Sierra chapter 10

[Jacob Sonia]

  import java.util.*;
public class Antique{
	public static void main(String[] args){
		List<String> myList = new ArrayList<String>();
		assert (args.length > 0);
		System.out.println("still static");
	}
}  

if i use
javac -source 6 Antique.java
java Antique

why does it compile...if we specify source 6...aren't assertions enabled by default then

[Jeanne Boyarsky]

Jacob,
Assertions are disabled by default. And the code will compile regardless of whether assertions are enabled. The question then is whether it will run or throw an exception due to the assertion.