abstract - getInstance()

[Lovleen Gupta]

They say DateFormat is an abstract class. So, to instantiate, you do:
DateFormat d = DateFormat.getInstance();

Also, somewhere I read that abstract classes can't be instantiated. So, there is an anomaly here. Please throw soe light on it.

Also, if the 2nd statement is incorrect,
does the getInstance() mehtod apply to instantiate any abstract class?

Thanks.

[Christophe Verré]

What getInstance() does is basically to return a new SimpleDateFormat.
So [i]DateFormat d = DateFormat.getInstance();[i] would be equivalent to [i]DateFormat d = new SimpleDateFormat(...)[i] with default parameters.