diff --git a/lib/hashish.rb b/lib/hashish.rb
index 483e399..653bffd 100644
--- a/lib/hashish.rb
+++ b/lib/hashish.rb
@@ -15,10 +15,9 @@
   #require 'orderedhash'
   require 'json'
 
-# hashish libs
+# alpo libs
 #
   module Hashish
-    ::H = Hashish unless defined?(::H)
     Version = '0.4.2' unless defined?(Version)
 
     def version
@@ -55,3 +54,15 @@ def libdir(*args, &block)
     load 'parameter_parser.rb'
     load 'api.rb'
   end
+
+  unless defined?(H)
+    H = Hashish
+
+    def Hashish(*args, &block)
+      Hashish.data(*args, &block)
+    end
+
+    def H(*args, &block)
+      Hashish.data(*args, &block)
+    end
+  end
diff --git a/lib/hashish/data.rb b/lib/hashish/data.rb
index ba71630..dd5d76a 100644
--- a/lib/hashish/data.rb
+++ b/lib/hashish/data.rb
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ class Data < HashWithIndifferentAccess
 
     def initialize(*args, &block)
       data = self
-      options = HashWithIndifferentAccess.new(args.last.is_a?(Hash) ? args.pop : {})
+      options = args.last.is_a?(Hash) ? args.pop : {}
 
       @key = 
         case args.size
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ def initialize(*args, &block)
           else
             args.shift
         end
-      @key ||= 'data'
+      @key ||= (options.is_a?(Data) ? options.key : 'data')
+
       @errors = Errors.new(data)
       @form = Form.new(data)
       @status = Status.ok
@@ -52,6 +53,39 @@ def model_name
     def parse(params = {})
       Hashish.parse(key, params)
     end
+
+    def apply(other)
+      Hashish.merge(other => self)
+    end
+
+    alias_method 'build', 'apply'
+
+    class << Data
+      def merge(*args)
+        if args.size == 1 and args.first.is_a?(Hash)
+          params, schema = args.first.to_a.flatten
+        else
+          params, schema, *ignored = args
+        end
+
+        params = Hashish.data(params)
+        result = Hashish.data(schema)
+
+        Hashish.depth_first_each(params) do |keys, val|
+          currently = result.get(keys)
+          result.set(keys => val) if(currently.nil? or currently.empty?)
+        end
+
+        result
+      end
+
+      def build(*args)
+        key = args.shift
+        result = merge(*args)
+        result.key = key
+        result
+      end
+    end
   end
 
   def data(*args, &block)
diff --git a/lib/hashish/data/form.rb b/lib/hashish/data/form.rb
index 40e44f5..f174db3 100644
--- a/lib/hashish/data/form.rb
+++ b/lib/hashish/data/form.rb
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ def id_for(keys)
       end
 
       def class_for(keys, klass = nil)
-        klass = [klass, 'hashish', 'errors'].compact.join(' ') if data.errors.on?(keys)
+        klass = [klass, 'alpo', 'errors'].compact.join(' ') if data.errors.on?(keys)
         klass
       end
 
diff --git a/lib/hashish/errors.rb b/lib/hashish/errors.rb
index 5522f8b..09c0486 100644
--- a/lib/hashish/errors.rb
+++ b/lib/hashish/errors.rb
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ def Errors.errors_to_html(*args)
 
       at_least_one = false
       names = errors.map{|e| e.data._name}
-      klass = [names, 'hashish errors'].flatten.compact.join(' ')
+      klass = [names, 'alpo errors'].flatten.compact.join(' ')
 
       html =
         table_(:class => klass){
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ def Errors.errors_to_html(*args)
 
       at_least_one = false
       names = errors.map{|e| e.data._name}
-      klass = [names, 'hashish errors'].flatten.compact.join(' ')
+      klass = [names, 'alpo errors'].flatten.compact.join(' ')
 
       html =
         ul_(:class => klass){
diff --git a/lib/hashish/support.rb b/lib/hashish/support.rb
index aa9c33b..853eb22 100644
--- a/lib/hashish/support.rb
+++ b/lib/hashish/support.rb
@@ -56,19 +56,10 @@ def form
   end
 
   def merge(*args)
-    if args.size == 1 and args.first.is_a?(Hash)
-      params, base = args.first.to_a.flatten
-    else
-      params, base, *ignored = args
-    end
-
-    params = Hashish.hash_for(params)
-    base = Hashish.hash_for(base)
-
-    Hashish.depth_first_each(params) do |keys, val|
-      base.set(keys => val) if base.get(keys).nil?
-    end
+    Data.merge(*args)
+  end
 
-    base
+  def build(*args)
+    Data.build(*args)
   end
 end