Final field in abstract class

Question

Hi ... consider the code:abstract class It {
     protected final boolean
          USE;
public class Test extends It {
     public Test(){
          USE = true;
} upon compiling there is an error (infact, two errors).
final may not be assigned, can't assign to final.
of course, if "It" was not abstract, the first error might be true ... but it is abstract, so
shouldn't this checking of assignment to final be delayed until the class is inheritied
as concrete ? it would seem to make sense ... i can't see a reason for this not being
the case.
if it was the case, we could delay assignment until our constructor of "Test" where it
would assign to the final variable of "It".
it shouldn't be an error, should it ?
java version:java version "1.4.2_03"
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.4.2_03-b02)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.4.2_03-b02, mixed mode)

Answer 1

is it because references to the final fields are resolved at compile-time ?
such that the compiler must know the value of USE in:if(USE){
  // a
// b at compile time so it can remove either "b" or "a". I think so. hmm.