Strange "+" opperator behaviour with byte data type.

Question

This will complie:
byte counter = 1;
while (counter > 0)
System.out.println("Counter is " + counter);
counter ++;
}This will compile:
byte counter = 1;
byte one = 1;
while (counter > 0)
System.out.println("Counter is " + counter);
counter += one;
}This however will NOT complile:
byte counter = 1;
while (counter > 0)
System.out.println("Counter is " + counter);
counter = counter + 1;
}This also will NOT complile.
byte counter = 1;
byte one = 1;
while (counter > 0)
System.out.println("Counter is " + counter);
counter = counter + one;
}Why is that? The complier seems to have a problem with the + opperator with bytes, it gives me a "possible loss of precision" error.
P.S. I know these are "Infinite Loops" that was the point. I was pointing out to my instructor that even though these would be called "Infinite Loops" they do end at a specific and determinable point.

Answer 1

I don't see any point in using a byte for that
counter variable, except possibly to generate more
questions when it rolls past 127.I got my first programming experience back when there was only 64K of memory on my Commodore 64. Using a byte size larger than needed has always seemed wasteful to me; regardless that memory sizes are so roomy these days. I suppose it isn't even all that necessary on things like cell phones and PDAs any more. It is a little odd to me the way Java deals with bytes considering what it was originally intended to be used for. You'd think a programming language designed to be used on things like electric toasters and washing machines (or whatever, things that would not be expected to have much in the way of computing power or memory space) would require you to type cast when using small data types.
But as they say, "It's not for me to reason why, it's for me to do and type cast to a byte." Or something like that.