FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.8.0_25"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_25-b17)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.25-b02, mixed mode)

ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Mac OS X 10.9.5

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
Use a type witness while calling a non-generic method. In Java6 it generates a compile time error, whereas when compiled with Java7 and Java8 it compiles successfully. Is it an unknown side effect, I tried to search existing bugs around type witness and type inference but couldn't find anything which could lead to this.

REGRESSION. Last worked in version 6u43

ADDITIONAL REGRESSION INFORMATION:
Compile time failure with the following version:
java version "1.6.0_65"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_65-b14-462-11M4609)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 20.65-b04-462, mixed mode)


Compiles successfully with the following version:
java version "1.7.0_71"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0_71-b14)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 24.71-b01, mixed mode)

java version "1.8.0_25"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_25-b17)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.25-b02, mixed mode)


STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
Use a type witness while calling a non-generic method.

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
javac TypeWitnessTest.java
TypeWitnessTest.java:5: stringReturn() in TypeWitnessTest.Dummy cannot be applied to <java.lang.Integer>()
s = Dummy.<Integer>stringReturn(); //Witness ignored, returns a string
^
1 error

ACTUAL -
compiled successfully with java7 and java8 compilers.

ERROR MESSAGES/STACK TRACES THAT OCCUR :
javac TypeWitnessTest.java
TypeWitnessTest.java:5: stringReturn() in TypeWitnessTest.Dummy cannot be applied to <java.lang.Integer>()
s = Dummy.<Integer>stringReturn(); //Witness ignored, returns a string
^
1 error


REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
public class TypeWitnessTest {
public static void main(String[] args) {
String s;
s = Dummy.<String>genericReturn(); //Witness used in return type, returns a string
s = Dummy.<Integer>stringReturn(); //Witness ignored, returns a string
}

static class Dummy {
public static <T> T genericReturn() { return null; }
public static String stringReturn() { return null; }
}
}
---------- END SOURCE ----------