in maven-3.0.x/src/main/java/org/sonatype/aether/util/artifact/DefaultArtifact.java [206:228]
private static Map<String, String> merge( Map<String, String> dominant, Map<String, String> recessive )
{
Map<String, String> properties;
if ( ( dominant == null || dominant.isEmpty() ) && ( recessive == null || recessive.isEmpty() ) )
{
properties = Collections.emptyMap();
}
else
{
properties = new HashMap<String, String>();
if ( recessive != null )
{
properties.putAll( recessive );
}
if ( dominant != null )
{
properties.putAll( dominant );
}
}
return properties;
}