Make it easier to access non-string values

[GoogleCodeExporter]

At the moment, all config values are strings.  Individual config variables
should themselves be promoted to objects with .asint() .asbool(),
.asfloat() or .asstring() methods that convert that variable to the type
you actually need, and/or it should perhaps make an attempt at type
inference for basic types.

(see issue 18 for the original complaint)

Original issue reported on code.google.com by psobe...@gmail.com on 17 Apr 2010 at 7:10