How are java.lang.Object's protected methods protected from subclasses?

Question

The keyword protected grants access to classes in the same package and subclasses (http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/java/javaOO/accesscontrol.html).

Answer 1

The difference is how you are accessing Object.clone(). clone is only accessible when accessed via a sub class or class in the same package. In the getOne() example you are claling this.clone(). This clearly satisfies access from within a sub class.

In getTwo() though you are acessing Object.clone() and not TestClass.clone(). In order for this to work you must have package level access to Object which you don't and hence the error.