Bye Properties, hello Preferences

Since version 1.4.2 Java platform offers the Preferences API which intended to substitute and improve the older Properties API.

http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.5.0/docs/guide/preferences/index.html#prefs-other
http://www.onjava.com/pub/a/onjava/synd/2001/10/17/j2se.html