test_gamma script in Mac os X build is failing on 8 as shown in mail conversation below.
To fix the problem in the 8 build means fixing it in 7u because it's a 7u libjava that is used
with the gamma launcher. It will have to be fixed in 8 for future Java versions.

The error doesn't affect the 7u build because the script detects a non Open JDK bootstrap is being used
(the Apple JDK) and it exits quietly.

>> The error occurs running ./test_gamma:
>> ...
>> echo "Doing vm.make build:"
>> Doing vm.make build:
>> All done.
>> cd bsd_amd64_compiler2/product&& ./test_gamma
>> Using java runtime at: /Users/stephen/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/1.7.0_04-2012_03_04.jdk/Contents/Home/jre
>> Error occurred during initialization of VM
>> java.lang.NullPointerException
>> at java.util.Hashtable.put(Hashtable.java:432)
>> at java.lang.System.initProperties(Native Method)
>> at java.lang.System.initializeSystemClass(System.java:1115)
>
> OK, I think I figured it out. It's our old friend LANG.
>
> Earlier in this thread, John had observed
>
>> The NPE is because libjava.dylib is handing a null value to Hashtable, for the key "user.language", in System.c.
>
> The user.language property comes from (or at least is related to) the LANG environment variable. If LANG is unset, I get this crash in test_gamma. If LANG is set to en_US.UTF-8 the build succeeds.
>
> Curiously, with LANG=en_US.UTF-8, the build log says
>
> WARNING: LANG has been set to en_US.UTF-8, this can cause build failures.
> Try setting LANG to 'C'.
>
> but the build succeeds. There is no corresponding warning if LANG is unset. :-(
>
> Also curiously, the jdk7u build on Mac doesn't have the same sensitivity to the absence of LANG. I'll try this out on other platforms.
>
> I'm not sure, but it could be that this problem is unrelated to Michael's changes. If so, then sorry for the noise. But at least we might have gotten a lead on some other build mysteries.
>
> s'marks
Great. That's good to know. From what I can see, the reason why 7u does not show the
same symptom is because test_gamma bails out in the 7u build because it doesn't know
the file/directory structure of the Apple (boot) JDK. So, it doesn't actually run the test.

Since 8 is using an openjdk 7 bootstrap, it does know where to find the files and it runs
the test. The main Java launcher is able to deal with LANG not being set. It sets
user.language to a reasonable default. But, it appears like gamma doesn't do that
(and hence the null key for Hashtable.put()).