FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.6.0_20"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_20-b02)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 16.3-b01, mixed mode, sharing)

ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Windows XP Professional Service Pack 3

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
The java compiler catches the following:

String a = "";
if( a = null ) {
 // stuff
}

but it will not catch it if a is of type Boolean:

Boolean a = false;
if( a = null ) {
 // stuff
}

This is something that C#.NET does catch. I'm hoping that javac can catch it to help developers reduce errors introduced by typos...so we can all finally go to more readable code.

The error is caught upon runtime but it would be nice if the compiler can catch it...as the compiler should do work for us.


REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced occasionally.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
@Test
public void testWithString() {
  Boolean a = false;
  if( a = null ) { // would be nice if it threw a compiler error here instead of unboxing error upon runtime

  }
}
---------- END SOURCE ----------