    # File alienconfig.rb, line 21
            def load(fn)
                    if File.file?(fn)
                            begin
                            File.open(fn).each do |line|
                            #peel off terminators/leading spaces, etc.
                                    line.strip!

                            #ignore comment lines...
                                    if (line[0..0]!="#")
                                            keyval = line.split("=") # split on equal sign

                                    #ignore blank lines
                                            if keyval.size>0
                                                    key   = keyval[0].strip
                                                    value = keyval[1].nil? ? "" : keyval[1].strip

                                                    if (@symbolsForKeys)
                                                            self[key.intern] = value
                                                    else
                                                            self[key] = value;
                                                    end
                                            end
                                    end
                            end
                            rescue
                                    raise "Error: trouble loading data from file: #{fn}.\nDetails: #{$!}"
                            end
                    else
                            raise "Error: cannot find configuration file: #{fn}.\nDetails: File not found."
                    end
            end