FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.6.0_02"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_02-b05)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.6.0_02-b05, mixed mode, sharing)

ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
For static methods with type parameters and covariant return types involving these parameters, method hiding doesn't work as expected. (See the provided example.)


STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
Compile the provided test case.


EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
Bar2.newInstance() should hide Foo2.newInstance(), just as Bar2.newInstance() hides Foo2.newInstance().

ACTUAL -
javac reports errors on the bar2 assignment.


ERROR MESSAGES/STACK TRACES THAT OCCUR :
Test.java:28: reference to newInstance is ambiguous, both method <S,T>newInstance() in Test.Foo2 and method <T>newInstance() in Test.Bar2 match
            Bar2<Number> bar2 = Bar2.newInstance();
Test.java:28: incompatible types; no instance(s) of type variable(s) S,T exist so that Test.Foo2 conforms to Test.Bar2<java.lang.Number>
found : <S,T>Test.Foo2
required: Test.Bar2<java.lang.Number>
            Bar2<Number> bar2 = Bar2.newInstance();
2 errors


REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------

public class Test
{
    static class Foo<T>
    {
        static <T> Foo newInstance() { return new Foo<T>(); }
    }

    static class Bar extends Foo<String>
    {
        static Bar newInstance() { return new Bar(); }
    }

    static class Foo2<S, T>
    {
        static <S, T> Foo2 newInstance() { return new Foo2<S, T>(); }
    }

    static class Bar2<T> extends Foo2<String, T>
    {
        static <T> Bar2<T> newInstance() { return new Bar2<T>(); }
    }

    public Test()
    {
        Bar bar = Bar.newInstance(); // ok
        Bar2<Number> bar2 = Bar2.newInstance(); // compile error
    }
}

---------- END SOURCE ----------

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
Explicitly specify type arguments in the call, e.g.:

    Bar2<Number> bar2 = Bar2.<Number>newInstance();