# 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