Name: ###@###.### Date: 09/05/96

a variable is not considered as definitely assigned after
             the boolean operator ?: when false. Meanwhile in one case it
             is definitely assigned before its second operand and after
             its third operand when false. In the other case, vice versa,
             it is definitely assigned before the third operand and after
             the second operand when false. This contradicts the following
             assertion:

             V is definitely assigned after a ? b : c when false iff both
             of the following are true:

             - V is definitely assigned before b or V is definitely assigned
               after b when false.
             - V is definitely assigned before c or V is definitely assigned
               after c when false.

             (Java Language Specification, section 16.1.11)

Test: compilation of the following test

public class test
{
public static void main(String argv[])
{
boolean b;
boolean r = false;
boolean f = false;
boolean t = true;

if ((t && (b = t)) ? f : t || (b = f));
else
r = b;
System.out.println(r);
if ((t || (b = f)) ? f || (b = f) : t);
else
r = b;
System.out.println(r);
}
}

produces such diagnostics:

novo40% javac test.java
test.java:12: Variable b may not have been initialized.
r = b;
^
test.java:16: Variable b may not have been initialized.
r = b;
^
2 errors

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