diff --git a/src/main/scala/util/Config.scala b/src/main/scala/util/Config.scala
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..966b594b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/scala/util/Config.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+package config
+
+class Field[T]
+class CDEMatchError() extends Exception {
+  override def fillInStackTrace() = this
+}
+
+abstract class View {
+  final def apply[T](pname: Field[T]): T = find(pname, this).asInstanceOf[T]
+
+  protected[config] def find(pname: Any, site: View): Any
+}
+
+abstract class Parameters extends View {
+  final def ++ (x: Parameters):                        Parameters = new ChainParameters(this, x)
+  final def alter(f: (Any, View, View, View) => Any):  Parameters = Parameters(f) ++ this
+  final def alter(m: Map[Any,Any]):                    Parameters = Parameters(m) ++ this
+  final def alter(f: PartialFunction[Any,Any]):        Parameters = Parameters(f) ++ this
+  final def alterPartial(f: PartialFunction[Any,Any]): Parameters = Parameters(f) ++ this
+
+  protected[config] def chain(site: View, tail: View, pname: Any): Any
+  protected[config] def find(pname: Any, site: View) = chain(site, new TerminalView, pname)
+}
+
+object Parameters {
+  def empty:                                    Parameters = new EmptyParameters
+  def apply(f: (Any, View, View, View) => Any): Parameters = new FunctionParameters(f)
+  def apply(m: Map[Any,Any]):                   Parameters = new MapParameters(m)
+  def apply(f: PartialFunction[Any,Any]):       Parameters = new PartialParameters(f)
+  def partial(f: PartialFunction[Any,Any]):     Parameters = new PartialParameters(f)
+  def root(p: Parameters) = p
+}
+
+class Config(p: Parameters) extends Parameters {
+  def this(f: (Any, View, View)       => Any) = this(Parameters((p,s,h,u) => f(p,s,h))) // backwards compat; don't use
+  def this(f: (Any, View, View, View) => Any) = this(Parameters(f))
+  def this(m: Map[Any,Any])                   = this(Parameters(m))
+  def this(f: PartialFunction[Any,Any])       = this(Parameters(f))
+
+  protected[config] def chain(site: View, tail: View, pname: Any) = p.chain(site, tail, pname)
+  override def toString = this.getClass.getSimpleName
+  def toInstance = this
+}
+
+class ConfigPartial(f: PartialFunction[Any,Any]) extends Config(Parameters(f))
+
+// Internal implementation:
+
+private class TerminalView extends View {
+  private class Unusable
+  def find(pname: Any, site: View): Any = pname match { case x: Unusable => () }
+}
+
+private class ChainView(head: Parameters, tail: View) extends View {
+  def find(pname: Any, site: View) = head.chain(site, tail, pname)
+}
+
+private class ChainParameters(x: Parameters, y: Parameters) extends Parameters {
+  def chain(site: View, tail: View, pname: Any) = x.chain(site, new ChainView(y, tail), pname)
+}
+
+private class EmptyParameters extends Parameters {
+  def chain(site: View, tail: View, pname: Any) = tail.find(pname, site)
+}
+
+private class FunctionParameters(f: (Any, View, View, View) => Any) extends Parameters {
+  protected[config] def chain(site: View, tail: View, pname: Any) = {
+    try f(pname, site, this, tail)
+    catch {
+      case e: CDEMatchError    => tail.find(pname, site)
+      case e: scala.MatchError => tail.find(pname, site) 
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+private class MapParameters(map: Map[Any, Any]) extends Parameters {
+  protected[config] def chain(site: View, tail: View, pname: Any) =
+    map.get(pname).getOrElse(find(pname, site))
+}
+
+private class PartialParameters(f: PartialFunction[Any,Any]) extends Parameters {
+  protected[config] def chain(site: View, tail: View, pname: Any) =
+    if (f.isDefinedAt(pname)) f.apply(pname) else tail.find(pname, site)
+}