/**
     * Retrieve a boolean value. If the property is not found, the value of <code>def</code> is returned.
     */

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

    /**

        try {
            handshake();
        } catch (IOException ex) { }
        return connection.getHeaderFieldInt(header, def);
    }

    public long getHeaderFieldDate(String header, long def) {
        try {
            handshake();
        } catch (IOException ex) { }
        return connection.getHeaderFieldDate(header, def);
    }

    }


    @Override
    public int getHeaderFieldInt ( String header, int def ) {
        handshake();
        return this.connection.getHeaderFieldInt(header, def);
    }


    @Override
    public long getHeaderFieldDate ( String header, long def ) {
        handshake();
        return this.connection.getHeaderFieldDate(header, def);
    }


    @Override