Issue 1:
I am using the gradle 2.8 and java 1.8.0_20 to build the master branch of the elasticsearch and get the error:

AutoExpandReplicas.java:44 : cannot assign to the final variable min

min = Integer.parseInt(sMin);

I have searched the google and there is no answer.

Issue 2:
I've just updated to JDK 7 update 72 and 1.4.0.Beta1 doesn't work any more (win 8.1).

# java -version
java version "1.7.0_72"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0_72-b14)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 24.72-b04, mixed mode, sharing)

[2014-10-25 00:37:58,821][INFO ][node ] [Thog] version[1.4.0.Beta1], pid[6224], build[1f25669/2014-10-01T14:58:15Z]
[2014-10-25 00:37:58,822][INFO ][node ] [Thog] initializing ...
[2014-10-25 00:37:58,827][INFO ][plugins ] [Thog] loaded [], sites []
[2014-10-25 00:38:01,206][INFO ][node ] [Thog] initialized
[2014-10-25 00:38:01,206][INFO ][node ] [Thog] starting ...
[2014-10-25 00:38:01,308][INFO ][transport ] [Thog] bound_address {inet[/0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:9300]}, publish_address {inet[/192.168.1.50:9300]}
[2014-10-25 00:38:01,351][INFO ][discovery.zen.ping.multicast] [Thog] multicast failed to start [SocketException[An invalid argument was supplied]], disabling
[2014-10-25 00:38:01,353][INFO ][discovery ] [Thog] elasticsearch/Sk3GjLbeTduVCehGYnfdRg
[2014-10-25 00:38:01,359][WARN ][discovery.zen.ping.multicast] [Thog] failed to send multicast ping request: NullPointerException[null]
[2014-10-25 00:38:02,860][WARN ][discovery.zen.ping.multicast] [Thog] failed to send multicast ping request: NullPointerException[null]
[2014-10-25 00:38:04,372][INFO ][cluster.service ] [Thog] new_master [Thog][Sk3GjLbeTduVCehGYnfdRg][cerberus][inet[/192.168.1.50:9300]], reason: zen-disco-join (elected_as_master)
[2014-10-25 00:38:04,415][INFO ][http ] [Thog] bound_address {inet[/0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:9200]}, publish_address {inet[/192.168.1.50:9200]}
[2014-10-25 00:38:04,416][INFO ][node ] [Thog] started
[2014-10-25 00:38:04,926][INFO ][gateway ] [Thog] recovered [2] indices into cluster_state

1.4.0.Beta1 works fine with 7u67 and 8u25. It looks like only 7u72 is problematic (potentially 7u71).

Tested 1.3.4 on 7u72 and it seems to be working fine.

Verified the java version and the same problem occurs - clearly something has changed in the JDK.

# java -version
java version "1.7.0_72"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0_72-b14)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 24.72-b04, mixed mode, sharing)

# elasticsearch
[2014-10-25 00:50:20,068][INFO ][node ] [Wendell Vaughn] version[1.3.4], pid[7220], build[a70f3cc/2014-09-30T09:07:17Z]
[2014-10-25 00:50:20,070][INFO ][node ] [Wendell Vaughn] initializing ...
[2014-10-25 00:50:20,074][INFO ][plugins ] [Wendell Vaughn] loaded [], sites []
[2014-10-25 00:50:22,367][INFO ][node ] [Wendell Vaughn] initialized
[2014-10-25 00:50:22,367][INFO ][node ] [Wendell Vaughn] starting ...
[2014-10-25 00:50:22,472][INFO ][transport ] [Wendell Vaughn] bound_address {inet[/0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:9300]}, publish_address {inet[/192.168.1.50:9300]}
[2014-10-25 00:50:22,570][INFO ][discovery.zen.ping.multicast] [Wendell Vaughn] multicast failed to start [SocketException[An invalid argument was supplied]], disabling
[2014-10-25 00:50:22,571][INFO ][discovery ] [Wendell Vaughn] elasticsearch/iROZFsnQQb-2OUFP6bA_bA
[2014-10-25 00:50:22,600][WARN ][discovery.zen.ping.multicast] [Wendell Vaughn] failed to send multicast ping request: NullPointerException[null]
[2014-10-25 00:50:24,102][WARN ][discovery.zen.ping.multicast] [Wendell Vaughn] failed to send multicast ping request: NullPointerException[null]
[2014-10-25 00:50:25,605][INFO ][cluster.service ] [Wendell Vaughn] new_master [Wendell Vaughn][iROZFsnQQb-2OUFP6bA_bA][cerberus][inet[/192.168.1.50:9300]], reason: zen-disco-join (elected_as_master)
[2014-10-25 00:50:25,638][INFO ][gateway ] [Wendell Vaughn] recovered [0] indices into cluster_state
[2014-10-25 00:50:25,649][INFO ][http ] [Wendell Vaughn] bound_address {inet[/0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:9200]}, publish_address {inet[/192.168.1.50:9200]}
[2014-10-25 00:50:25,650][INFO ][node ] [Wendell Vaughn] started