define(function(){

    var Toolbox = {};

    // `ctor` and `inherits` are from Backbone (with some modifications):
    // http://documentcloud.github.com/backbone/

    // Shared empty constructor function to aid in prototype-chain creation.
    var ctor = function () {};

    // Helper function to correctly set up the prototype chain, for subclasses.
    // Similar to `goog.inherits`, but uses a hash of prototype properties and
    // class properties to be extended.
    var inherits = function (parent, protoProps, staticProps) {
        var child;

        // The constructor function for the new subclass is either defined by you
        // (the "constructor" property in your `extend` definition), or defaulted
        // by us to simply call `super()`.
        if (protoProps && protoProps.hasOwnProperty('constructor')) {
            child = protoProps.constructor;
        } else {
            child = function () { return parent.apply(this, arguments); };
        }

        // Inherit class (static) properties from parent.
        _.extend(child, parent);

        // Set the prototype chain to inherit from `parent`, without calling
        // `parent`'s constructor function.
        ctor.prototype = parent.prototype;
        child.prototype = new ctor();

        // Add prototype properties (instance properties) to the subclass,
        // if supplied.
        if (protoProps) _.extend(child.prototype, protoProps);

        // Add static properties to the constructor function, if supplied.
        if (staticProps) _.extend(child, staticProps);

        // Correctly set child's `prototype.constructor`.
        child.prototype.constructor = child;

        // Set a convenience property in case the parent's prototype is needed later.
        child.__super__ = parent.prototype;

        return child;
    };

    // Self-propagating extend function.
    // Create a new class that inherits from the class found in the `this` context object.
    // This function is meant to be called in the context of a constructor function.
    function extendThis(protoProps, staticProps) {
        var child = inherits(this, protoProps, staticProps);
        child.extend = extendThis;
        return child;
    }

    // A primitive base class for creating subclasses.
    // All subclasses will have the `extend` function.
    // Example:
    //     var MyClass = Toolbox.Base.extend({
    //         someProp: 'My property value',
    //         someMethod: function () { ... }
    //     });
    //     var instance = new MyClass();
    Toolbox.Base = function () {}
    Toolbox.Base.extend = extendThis;
    return Toolbox;

});

