EVALUATION

http://hg.openjdk.java.net/jdk7/tl/jdk/rev/da8526047e5f
                                     

SUGGESTED FIX

http://cr.openjdk.java.net/~martin/webrevs/openjdk7/TimeTravel/

*** 67,77 ****
       * The "standard" input stream. This stream is already
       * open and ready to supply input data. Typically this stream
       * corresponds to keyboard input or another input source specified by
       * the host environment or user.
       */
!     public final static InputStream in = nullInputStream();
  
      /**
       * The "standard" output stream. This stream is already
       * open and ready to accept output data. Typically this stream
       * corresponds to display output or another output destination
--- 67,77 ----
       * The "standard" input stream. This stream is already
       * open and ready to supply input data. Typically this stream
       * corresponds to keyboard input or another input source specified by
       * the host environment or user.
       */
!     public final static InputStream in = null;
  
      /**
       * The "standard" output stream. This stream is already
       * open and ready to accept output data. Typically this stream
       * corresponds to display output or another output destination
*** 94,104 ****
       * @see     java.io.PrintStream#println(int)
       * @see     java.io.PrintStream#println(long)
       * @see     java.io.PrintStream#println(java.lang.Object)
       * @see     java.io.PrintStream#println(java.lang.String)
       */
!     public final static PrintStream out = nullPrintStream();
  
      /**
       * The "standard" error output stream. This stream is already
       * open and ready to accept output data.
       * <p>
--- 94,104 ----
       * @see     java.io.PrintStream#println(int)
       * @see     java.io.PrintStream#println(long)
       * @see     java.io.PrintStream#println(java.lang.Object)
       * @see     java.io.PrintStream#println(java.lang.String)
       */
!     public final static PrintStream out = null;
  
      /**
       * The "standard" error output stream. This stream is already
       * open and ready to accept output data.
       * <p>
*** 108,118 ****
       * or other information that should come to the immediate attention
       * of a user even if the principal output stream, the value of the
       * variable <code>out</code>, has been redirected to a file or other
       * destination that is typically not continuously monitored.
       */
!     public final static PrintStream err = nullPrintStream();
  
      /* The security manager for the system.
       */
      private static volatile SecurityManager security = null;
  
--- 108,118 ----
       * or other information that should come to the immediate attention
       * of a user even if the principal output stream, the value of the
       * variable <code>out</code>, has been redirected to a file or other
       * destination that is typically not continuously monitored.
       */
!     public final static PrintStream err = null;
  
      /* The security manager for the system.
       */
      private static volatile SecurityManager security = null;
  
*** 1091,1120 ****
       * @since      1.2
       */
      public static native String mapLibraryName(String libname);
  
      /**
-      * The following two methods exist because in, out, and err must be
-      * initialized to null.  The compiler, however, cannot be permitted to
-      * inline access to them, since they are later set to more sensible values
-      * by initializeSystemClass().
-      */
-     private static InputStream nullInputStream() throws NullPointerException {
-         if (currentTimeMillis() > 0) {
-             return null;
-         }
-         throw new NullPointerException();
-     }
- 
-     private static PrintStream nullPrintStream() throws NullPointerException {
-         if (currentTimeMillis() > 0) {
-             return null;
-         }
-         throw new NullPointerException();
-     }
- 
-     /**
       * Initialize the system class.  Called after thread initialization.
       */
      private static void initializeSystemClass() {
          props = new Properties();
          initProperties(props);
--- 1091,1100 ----
                                     

EVALUATION

There is no reason that currentTimeMillis() must return a value >= 0, but further there seems to be no present-day reason to employ this "anti-inlining" trick in the first place. There seems to be no reason that the in/out/err fields can not be set directly to null without use of an initialization method.