The code from 4347611 should be an error, not accepted by the compiler.
The compiler now accepts the code, but it shouldn't.

frog:~/workspaces/test/4347611 $ cat -n T.java
     1 class Outer{
     2 public static class Inner{
     3 public static int a = 1;
     4 }
     5 public static void main(String[] args)
     6 {
     7 System.out.println(new Outer().Inner.a);
     8 }
     9 }
frog:~/workspaces/test/4347611 $ newjavac T.java
frog:~/workspaces/test/4347611 $

neal.gafter@Eng 2001-08-06