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This is a properties file in a standard place that is interpreted upon client initialization. The location should be private for a user.
The format will be a reduced set that of .properties, an .ini file (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/INI_file). Although the format is somewhat 'dated', there is a Python parser available:
http://docs.python.org/2/library/configparser.html
and an R parsing algorithm has been suggested:
http://.properties to be compatible across languages.r.789695.n4.nabble.com/Read-Windows-like-INI-files-into-R-data-structure-td827353.html
Things to specify in the common config file:
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