FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
javac 1.5.0_01
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.5.0_01-b08, mixed mode, sharing)


ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Linux kgregory-lin 2.6.8.1-24mdkenterprise #1 SMP Fri Jan 14 00:31:44 MST 2005 i686 Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.60GHz unknown GNU/Linux


A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
The -Xlint:serial option will not flag an abstract class that does not define serialVersionUID, but the serialization subsystem does calculate a default UID for the class. This will result in runtime errors when the class changes in a way that Java considers incompatible.


STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
Compile example with

javac -Xlint:serial SerializableAbstract.java

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
SerializableAbstract.java:1: warning: [serial] serializable class SerializableAbstract has no definition of serialVersionUID

ACTUAL -
No warnings; compilation completes successfully.

REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
public abstract class SerializableAbstract
implements java.io.Serializable
{
    private int x;

    public int incrementX() {
        return ++x;
    }
    
    public abstract int decrementX();
}
---------- END SOURCE ----------

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
none - must visually inspect abstract classes, create serialVersionUID tag where appropriate