code: private boolean nullOrValue(String test, String value) {
      if (test == null)
        return true;
      if (test.equals(value))
        return true;
      return false;
    }
docs: Test if a string is either null or equal to a certain value
  @param test The string to test
  @param value The value to compare to
  @return <code>true</code> if a string is either null or equal to a certain value