FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.7.0_72"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0_72-b14)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 24.72-b04, mixed mode)


ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Linux atlas 3.13.0-43-generic #72-Ubuntu SMP Mon Dec 8 19:35:06 UTC 2014 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

EXTRA RELEVANT SYSTEM CONFIGURATION :
not relevant

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
sun.font.FontUtilities (and anything in java that depends on using a font) checks for the presence of the font file "LucidaSansRegular.ttf" to determine which library to load (if it's oracle or openJDK).

This will cause an UnsatisfiedLinkError, if you follow the license agreement for redistribution of the JRE. (http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/jre-7-readme-430162.html) Specifically, if you remove the "fonts/" location.

http://grepcode.com/file/repository.grepcode.com/java/root/jdk/openjdk/8-b132/sun/font/FontUtilities.java#127

Since this file MIGHT ALSO exist in an openJDK distribution, one possible solution would be to just check an env. var instead of testing if the file exists.

REGRESSION. Last worked in version 6u43

ADDITIONAL REGRESSION INFORMATION:
From what I can tell, this was introduced in java 7.

The problem is at this location in the source code:
http://grepcode.com/file/repository.grepcode.com/java/root/jdk/openjdk/8-b132/sun/font/FontUtilities.java#127

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
1) delete "LucidaSansRegular.ttf" from the fonts/ location
2) call FontUtilites.isLogging()
2a) OR, call ANY public static method in FontUtilties
2b) OR, create (and render) a simple swing GUI with text in it



EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
A JFrame with a text box.
ACTUAL -
nothing

ERROR MESSAGES/STACK TRACES THAT OCCUR :
java.lang.UnsatisfiedLinkError: sun.font.FreetypeFontScaler.initIDs(Ljava/lang/Class;)V
at sun.font.FreetypeFontScaler.initIDs(Native Method)
at sun.font.FreetypeFontScaler.<clinit>(Unknown Source)
at java.lang.Class.forName0(Native Method)
at java.lang.Class.forName(Unknown Source)
at sun.font.FontScaler.<clinit>(Unknown Source)
at sun.font.TrueTypeFont.getScaler(Unknown Source)
at sun.font.FileFontStrike.<init>(Unknown Source)
at sun.font.FileFont.createStrike(Unknown Source)
at sun.font.Font2D.getStrike(Unknown Source)
at sun.font.Font2D.getStrike(Unknown Source)
at sun.font.CompositeStrike.getStrikeForSlot(Unknown Source)
at sun.font.CompositeStrike.getFontMetrics(Unknown Source)
at sun.font.FontDesignMetrics.initMatrixAndMetrics(Unknown Source)
at sun.font.FontDesignMetrics.<init>(Unknown Source)
at sun.font.FontDesignMetrics.getMetrics(Unknown Source)
at sun.swing.SwingUtilities2.getFontMetrics(Unknown Source)
at javax.swing.JComponent.getFontMetrics(Unknown Source)
at javax.swing.plaf.synth.SynthGraphicsUtils.getPreferredSize(Unknown Source)
at javax.swing.plaf.synth.SynthLabelUI.getPreferredSize(Unknown Source)
at javax.swing.JComponent.getPreferredSize(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.FlowLayout.preferredLayoutSize(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Container.preferredSize(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Container.getPreferredSize(Unknown Source)
at javax.swing.JComponent.getPreferredSize(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.BorderLayout.preferredLayoutSize(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Container.preferredSize(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Container.getPreferredSize(Unknown Source)
at javax.swing.JComponent.getPreferredSize(Unknown Source)
at javax.swing.JRootPane$RootLayout.preferredLayoutSize(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Container.preferredSize(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Container.getPreferredSize(Unknown Source)
at javax.swing.JComponent.getPreferredSize(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.BorderLayout.preferredLayoutSize(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Container.preferredSize(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Container.getPreferredSize(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.Window.pack(Unknown Source)
at xxxx.util.swing.InputWindow.initGUI(InputWindow.java:127)
at xxxx.util.swing.InputWindow.<init>(InputWindow.java:44)
at java.awt.event.InvocationEvent.dispatch(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEventImpl(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.EventQueue.access$200(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.EventQueue$3.run(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.EventQueue$3.run(Unknown Source)
at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
at java.security.ProtectionDomain$1.doIntersectionPrivilege(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForFilters(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForHierarchy(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(Unknown Source)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(Unknown Source)

REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
public class InputWindow extends JFrame {
  public static void main(String[] args) {
        EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
            @Override
            public void run() {
                try {
                    InputWindow window = new InputWindow();
                    window.setVisible(true);
                } catch (Exception e) {
                    e.printStackTrace();
                }
            }
        });
    }


 public InputWindow() {
       setDefaultCloseOperation(WindowConstants.DISPOSE_ON_CLOSE);
        setResizable(false);
        setBounds(0, 0, 360, 187);

        JPanel contentPane = new JPanel();
        contentPane.setBorder(null);
        contentPane.setLayout(new BorderLayout(0, 0));
        setContentPane(contentPane);

       JPanel dialogPanel = new JPanel();
       dialogPanel.setBackground(Color.WHITE);
       contentPane.add(dialogPanel, BorderLayout.CENTER);

       JLabel label = new JLabel("Enter your user name");
       dialogPanel.add(label);
       pack();
    }
}
---------- END SOURCE ----------

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
Don't delete "LucidaSansRegular.ttf", or if using openJDK, DO NOT have that font in the "fonts/" directory.

Cannot make progress if using LucidaSansRegular.ttf on openJDK (or, conversely, not using - and deleting - LucidaSansRegular.ttf on oracleJRE)