Cloning is a commonly known and selectively used tool for a variety of purposes. Most people believe it is simple and straightforward.
( But it is a sensitive issue that few truly understand, far fewer than engage in it.Collapse ) In summary, cloning is an activity that should only be entered into with careful thought, reflection, and a thorough understanding of the subtle issues involved. I skipped over the times it is appropriate to return a different type from that being cloned, and how one can break the clonable chain by making use of the
throws CloneNotSupportedException escape hatch built into the method contract. I figure anyone making use of those techniques has already contemplated and understood these issues, this is for people new to cloning or the language in general.
