# File lib/autumn/authentication.rb, line 139
      def initialize(options={})
        @hostmask = options[:hostmask]
        @hostmask ||= /^.+?\.(.+)$/
        @hostmask = @hostmask.to_rx(false) if @hostmask.kind_of? String
        if @hostmask.kind_of? Regexp then
          mask = @hostmask
          @hostmask = lambda do |host|
            if matches = host.match(mask) then matches[1] else nil end
          end
        end
                
        @hosts = options[:host]
        @hosts ||= options[:hosts]
        raise "You must give the host address of an administrator to use nick-based authentication." unless @hosts
        @hosts = [ @hosts ] unless @hosts.kind_of? Array
      end