To reproduce the bug, first apply this patch to
src/share/classes/java/awt/Frame.java:

*** Frame.java Mon Jun 8 15:52:48 1998
--- Frame2.java Mon Jun 8 15:54:37 1998
***************
*** 131,137 ****
       * instead of 'this' so that garbage collection can still take
       * place correctly.
       */
! private SoftReference softThis;
  
      private static final String base = "frame";
      private static int nameCounter = 0;
--- 131,137 ----
       * instead of 'this' so that garbage collection can still take
       * place correctly.
       */
! transient private SoftReference softThis;
  
      private static final String base = "frame";
      private static int nameCounter = 0;
***************
*** 500,506 ****
            ownedWindows = null;
        }
  
! addToFrameList();
      }
  }
  
--- 500,507 ----
            ownedWindows = null;
        }
  
! softThis = new SoftReference(this);
! addToFrameList();
      }
  }




Now, run the following test program:

import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import java.io.*;
import java.applet.*;

public class ComponentSerializationTest extends Applet {

    public ComponentSerializationTest() {
        new MainFrame();
    }

    public static void main(String[] argc){
        Frame f = new MainFrame();
        f.addWindowListener( new WindowAdapter() {
                                    public void windowClosing(WindowEvent ev) {
                                        System.exit(0);
                                    }
                                }
                            );
    }
}

class MainFrame extends Frame {

    public MainFrame(){
        super("PrintComponentTest");

        setSize(600, 400);
        setLayout(new FlowLayout());

        ///////////////////////
        // as printing bugs are fixed, add your component here
        // to get it tested for printing

        // peered components
        add(new Button("Button") );
        add(new TestCanvas());
        add(new Checkbox("Checkbox", true) );
        Choice choice = new Choice();
        choice.add("Choice 1");
        choice.add("Choice Two");
        add(choice);
        add(new Label("Label") );
        List list = new List();
        list.add("List 1");
        list.add("List Two");
        add(list);
        add(new Scrollbar(Scrollbar.VERTICAL) );
        add(new Scrollbar(Scrollbar.HORIZONTAL) );
        ScrollPane scrollpane = new ScrollPane();
        scrollpane.add(new Button("Button in a scrollpane"));
        add(scrollpane);
        add(new TextArea("TextArea", 3, 30));
        add(new TextField("TextField"));

        // nested components
        Panel panel1 = new Panel();
        panel1.setLayout(new FlowLayout());
        panel1.setBackground(Color.red);
        this.add(panel1);

        panel1.add(new Button("level 2"));

        Panel panel2 = new Panel();
        panel2.setLayout(new FlowLayout());
        panel2.setBackground(Color.green);
        panel1.add(panel2);

        panel2.add(new Button("level 3"));


        // lightweight components
        add(new LWButton("LWbutton") );

        // overlapping components
        add(new ZOrderPanel());

        ///////////////////////

        Menu menu = new Menu("Serialize");
        Menu menu2 = new Menu("File");
        Menu menu3 = new Menu("Edit");
        Menu menu4 = new Menu("ReallyReallyReallyReallyReallyReallyReallyReallyReallyReallyReallyRe
allyReallyReallyReallyReallyReallyReallyReallyLong");
        menu2.setFont(new Font("SansSerif", Font.BOLD, 20));
        menu2.setEnabled(false);
        menu3.setFont(new Font("Monospaced", Font.ITALIC, 18));
        menu3.setEnabled(false);
        menu4.setEnabled(false);
        MenuItem itemSerialize = new MenuItem("Serialize!");
        CheckboxMenuItem itemCheck = new CheckboxMenuItem("Check me");
        menu.add(itemSerialize);
        menu.add(itemCheck);
        MenuBar menuBar = new MenuBar();
        menuBar.add( menu );
        menuBar.add( menu2 );
        menuBar.add( menu3 );
        menuBar.add( menu4 );
        setMenuBar(menuBar);

        itemSerialize.addActionListener( new ActionSerialize() );
        setVisible(true);
    }

    class ActionSerialize implements ActionListener {

        public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ev) {
            Frame f2 = null;

            try {
                FileOutputStream fos = new FileOutputStream("tmp");
                ObjectOutputStream oos = new ObjectOutputStream(fos);
                oos.writeObject(Frame.this);
                oos.flush();
                FileInputStream fis = new FileInputStream("tmp");
                ObjectInputStream ois = new ObjectInputStream(fis);
                f2 = (Frame)ois.readObject();
            }
            catch (Exception e) {
                e.printStackTrace(System.out);
                System.exit(1);
            }

            if (f2 != null) {
                f2.setVisible(true);
            }
            else {
                System.out.println(new NullPointerException("f2 is null"));
                System.exit(1);
            }
        }
    }

    class LWButton extends Component {
        String label;
        int width = 100;
        int height = 30;

        public LWButton(String label) {
            super();
            this.label = label;
        }

        public void paint(Graphics g) {
            Dimension d = getSize();
            g.setColor(Color.orange);
            g.fillRect(0, 0, d.width, d.height);
            g.setColor(Color.black);
            int x = 5;
            int y = (d.height - 5);
            g.drawString(label, x, y);
        }

        public Dimension getPreferredSize()
        {
            return new Dimension(width,height);
        }
    }

    class TestCanvas extends Canvas {
        int width = 100;
        int height = 100;

        public void paint(Graphics g) {
            g.setColor(Color.blue);
            g.fillRoundRect(10, 10, 50, 50, 15, 30);
            g.setColor(Color.red);
            g.fillOval(70, 70, 25, 25);
        }
        public Dimension getPreferredSize() {
            return new Dimension(width, height);
        }
    }

    class ZOrderPanel extends Panel
    {
        ZOrderPanel()
        {
            setLayout(null);

            Component first, second, third, fourth;

            show();
            // add first component
            first = makeBox("Second", Color.blue, -1);
            // insert on top
            second = makeBox("First", Color.yellow, 0);
            // put at the back
            fourth = makeBox("Fourth", Color.red, 2);
            // insert in last position
            third = makeBox("Third", Color.green, 3);
            // swap third and fourth to correct positions
            remove(third);
            add(third, 2);
            // re-validate so third and fourth peers change position
            validate();
            // now make things really interesting with a lightweight
            // component at the top of the z-order, that should print
            // _below_ the native guys to match the screen...
            add(new LWButton("LWButton"),0);
        }

        public Dimension preferredSize()
        {
            return new Dimension(260, 80);
        }

        public void layout()
        {
            int i, n;
            Insets ins = insets();
            n = countComponents();
            for (i = n-1; i >= 0; i--) {
                    Component p = getComponent(i);
                    p.reshape(ins.left + 40 * i, ins.top + 5 * i, 60, 60);
            }
        }

        public Component makeBox(String s, Color c, int index)
        {
            Label l = new Label(s);
            l.setBackground(c);
            l.setAlignment(Label.RIGHT);
            add(l, index);
            validate();
            return l;
        }
    }
}

From the Serialize menu, select Serialize!. The following Exception appears:

java.io.NotSerializableException: java.awt.font.TextAttribute
        at java.io.ObjectOutputStream.outputObject(ObjectOutputStream.java:835)
        at java.io.ObjectOutputStream.writeObject(ObjectOutputStream.java:334)
        at java.util.Hashtable.writeObject(Hashtable.java:727)
        at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method)
        at java.io.ObjectOutputStream.invokeObjectWriter(ObjectOutputStream.java:1576)
        at java.io.ObjectOutputStream.outputObject(ObjectOutputStream.java:897)
        at java.io.ObjectOutputStream.writeObject(ObjectOutputStream.java:334)
        at java.io.ObjectOutputStream.outputClassFields(ObjectOutputStream.java:1558)
        at java.io.ObjectOutputStream.defaultWriteObject(ObjectOutputStream.java:445)
        at java.awt.Font.writeObject(Font.java:620)
        at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method)
        at java.io.ObjectOutputStream.invokeObjectWriter(ObjectOutputStream.java:1576)
        at java.io.ObjectOutputStream.outputObject(ObjectOutputStream.java:897)
        at java.io.ObjectOutputStream.writeObject(ObjectOutputStream.java:334)
        at java.io.ObjectOutputStream.outputClassFields(ObjectOutputStream.java:1558)
        at java.io.ObjectOutputStream.defaultWriteObject(ObjectOutputStream.java:445)
        at java.awt.Component.writeObject(Component.java:3533)
        at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method)
        at java.io.ObjectOutputStream.invokeObjectWriter(ObjectOutputStream.java:1576)
        at java.io.ObjectOutputStream.outputObject(ObjectOutputStream.java:897)
        at java.io.ObjectOutputStream.writeObject(ObjectOutputStream.java:334)
        at MainFrame$ActionSerialize.actionPerformed(ComponentSerializationTest.java:119)
        at java.awt.MenuItem.processActionEvent(MenuItem.java:440)
        at java.awt.MenuItem.processEvent(MenuItem.java:404)
        at java.awt.MenuComponent.dispatchEventImpl(MenuComponent.java:189)
        at java.awt.MenuComponent.dispatchEvent(MenuComponent.java:181)
        at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(EventQueue.java:225)
        at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(EventDispatchThread.java:63)

The test program works correctly in beta3, and is thus a beta4 regression.