String b = getProperty( key );
        if( b != null ) {
            def = b.toLowerCase().equals( "true" );
        }
        return def;
    }

    /**
     * Retrieve an array of <tt>InetAddress</tt> created from a property
     * value containting a <tt>delim</tt> separated list of hostnames and/or
     * ipaddresses.
     */