Different behavior between 1.5b51 and 1.4.2_03.

REPRODUCE;
  
  1) Compile the program

::::::::::::::
test2.java
::::::::::::::
import java.io.*;
import java.util.*;

public class test2 {
    public static void main(String[] args) {

        try{
            String test = "test";
            String test2 = null;
            test.equalsIgnoreCase("Apple");
            test2.equalsIgnoreCase("Apple");
        }catch(Throwable ne) {
            System.out.println(ne.getMessage());
            ne.printStackTrace();
        }
    }
}


  2) Launch "java -showversion test2" in 1.5-beta-b51

d;\temp>java -showversion test2
java version "1.5.0-beta2"
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.5.0-beta2-b51)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 1.5.0-beta2-b51, mixed mode)

java.lang.NullPointerException:
        at test2.main(test2.java:11)

 3) Then launch the same command in 1.4.2_0X on x86 windows machine.

d;\temp>java -showversion test2
java version "1.4.2_03"
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.4.2_03-b02)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.4.2_03-b02, mixed mode)
null
java.lang.NullPointerException
        at test2.main(test2.java:11)

 
 The difference is the line after version information.
 The result in 1.5b51 is "space"(or no output), but the result in 1.4.2_03
 is String, "null".


CONFIGURATION;
 - Itenium2 machine ( above 2) )
   OS : Windows Server 2003
   MPU : Itenium2 900[MHz]
   JRE : 1.5-beta-b51

 - Another machine for jre x86 ( above 3) )
   OS : Windows XP (SP1, Japanese)
   MPU : Pentium IV (1.4[GHz])
   JRE : 1.4.2_03



NOTE:
  - When the command is launched in 1.5b51(for ia64) with -Xcomp,
    the output message is the same to that in 1.4.2_03.
    The interpreter in 1.5 seems different from 1.4.2.

  - Ttest2.java prints out the result of getMessage()
    in System.out.println() on NullPointerException.
    I attachedt the similar program(test1.java) to the test2.java.
    The test1.java does not cause the above-mentioned diff.
    The message is the same in 1.5-beta-b51 and 1.4.2_03 witj test1.java.
    Only the above test2.java causes the diff.

    
::::::::::::::
test1.java
::::::::::::::
import java.io.*;
import java.util.*;

public class test1 {
    public static void main(String[] args) {

        try{
            String test = null;
            test.equalsIgnoreCase("Apple");
        }catch(Throwable ne) {
            System.out.println(ne.getMessage());
            ne.printStackTrace();
        }
    }
}

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###@###.### 10/5/04 20:00 GMT