class ProtoObject(object):
    
    def __init__(self, name_or_dict, bases=None, dict=None):
        if bases is not None and dict is not None:
            if '__metaclass__' in dict:
                del dict['__metaclass__']
        else:
            dict = name_or_dict

        self.__dict__['_dict'] = dict
        if 'parent' not in self._dict:
            self._dict['parent'] = default_parent

    def __getattr__(self, name):
        current = self
        while name not in current._dict:
            current = current._dict['parent']
            if current is None:
                break
        else:
            val = current._dict[name]
            if hasattr(val, "__get__"):
                val = val.__get__(self)
            return val
        raise AttributeError, name

    def __setattr__(self, name, value):
        current = self
        while name not in current._dict:
            current = current._dict['parent']
            if current is None:
                break
        else:
            current._dict[name] = value
            return
        self._dict[name] = value

ProtoMeta = ProtoObject

class default_parent:
    __metaclass__ = ProtoMeta
    parent = None
    
    def clone(self):
        return ProtoObject(self._dict.copy())