scope="system" errors are difficult to diagnose because the error message is wrong

The following pom contents:

<dependencies>
<dependency>
<groupId>junit</groupId>
<artifactId>junit</artifactId>
<version>3.8.1</version>
<scope>system</scope>
<systemPath>c:/x/y/x</systemPath>
</dependency>
</dependencies>

generates the output:

=================================================
[INFO] Failed to resolve artifact.

Missing:
----------
1) junit:junit:jar:3.8.1

Try downloading the file manually from the project website.

Then, install it using the command:
mvn install:install-file -DgroupId=junit -DartifactId=junit -Dversion=3.8.1 -Dpackaging=jar -Dfile=/path/to/file

Alternatively, if you host your own repository you can deploy the file there:
mvn deploy:deploy-file -DgroupId=junit -DartifactId=junit -Dversion=3.8.1 -Dpackaging=jar -Dfile=/path/to/file -Du
rl=[url] -DrepositoryId=[id]

Path to dependency:
1) org.home.mvnsample:mvnsample:jar:1.0-ALPHA2
2) junit:junit:jar:3.8.1

----------
1 required artifact is missing.

for artifact:
org.home.mvnsample:mvnsample:jar:1.0-ALPHA2

from the specified remote repositories:
central (http://repo1.maven.org/maven2)
=================================================

This implies that the junit.jar is being sought in Maven Central, whereas in fact it is supposed to be in a local directory.

It would be a lot easier to debug errors in the systemPath if the error message showed where Maven was actually looking for it.