Initializing a static variable

[Bob Beerbower]

I'm going through the HFJ chapter that deals with staic variables and I have a question about initialization. HFJ gives the following code.

public class Bar {
public static final double BAR_SIGN;

static{
BAR_SIGN = (double) Math.random():
}
}

I understand this code and the use of the static initalizer, but I'm confused as to the next block of code.

public class Bar {
public static final double BAR_SIGN;
}  

HFJ states that this second code example will generate a compiler error that

varaible BAR_SIGN might not have been initialized  

I confused becuase on the previous page they stated that
"Defualt values for declared but uninitialized static and instance variables are the same:
primitive integers (long, short, etc.): 0
primitive floating point (float, double):0.0
etc..."

So in the case of the second block of code, why is the compiler complaining, should'nt BAR_SIGN be initialized to the default (0.0)?

edited 5/15 - error correction
[ May 15, 2005: Message edited by: Bob Beerbower ]

[James Carman]

No, since it's final, you have to specifically initialize it to a value.

[Bob Beerbower]

James,
Thanks for the reply. If I'd kept on reading HFJ gave me the same answer a few pages latter. Thanks again.