Why can't you just do something like this? Use a trivial API:

get_value_names($config_name);
  - returns array with names of stored parameters
get_value($config_name, param_name);
set_value($config_name, param_name, value);
clr_config($config_name);
[download]

With all due respect (and condoleances) to the people (*) who knows more about the registry than me, but why can't you just dump the values in registry keys on Windows -- and a nice config file under Unix?

It seems the obvious and trivial way of doing it? What doesn't I understand?

Update:
Just use a tie to a hash for API. No fuss, no muss. Also, add export/import to text file under Windows.

(*) Millions of people, literally :-)