--- a/UserPreferences.st	Wed Oct 28 10:00:01 2015 +0100
+++ b/UserPreferences.st	Thu Oct 29 06:54:02 2015 +0100
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+"{ Encoding: utf8 }"
+
 "
  COPYRIGHT (c) 1998 by eXept Software AG
 	      All Rights Reserved
@@ -467,6 +469,10 @@
     ^ (Filename usersPrivateSmalltalkDirectory) / 'settings.stx'
 
     "Created: / 06-10-2008 / 08:27:15 / Jan Vrany <vranyj1@fel.cvut.cz>"
+!
+
+defaultWorkspaceDirectory
+    ^ (Filename usersPrivateSmalltalkDirectory) / 'workspace'
 ! !
 
 !UserPreferences class methodsFor:'accessing defaultPrefs'!
@@ -837,23 +843,6 @@
 
 
 
-!UserPreferences methodsFor:'accessing-changes & history'!
-
-changeFileName
-    "were to keep changes"
-
-    ^self
-	at: #'changeFileName'
-	ifAbsent: nil
-!
-
-changeFileName:aFilename
-    "were to keep changes"
-
-    self
-	at: #'changeFileName'
-	put: aFilename.
-! !
 
 !UserPreferences methodsFor:'accessing-locale'!
 
@@ -4620,6 +4609,47 @@
     "Created: / 03-07-2006 / 16:50:20 / cg"
 ! !
 
+!UserPreferences methodsFor:'accessing-prefs-files and directories'!
+
+changeFileName
+    "were to keep changes"
+
+    ^ self 
+        at: #'changeFileName' 
+        ifAbsent: [nil] 
+!
+
+changeFileName:aFilename
+    "were to keep changes"
+
+    self
+	at: #'changeFileName'
+	put: aFilename.
+!
+
+usersModuleName
+    "this will be taken as the user's module in the workspace and as a default for new projects"
+    
+    ^ self at:#usersModuleName ifAbsent:[OperatingSystem getLoginName ]
+!
+
+usersModuleName:aString
+    self at:#usersModuleName put:aString
+!
+
+workspaceDirectory
+    ^ self at:#workspaceDirectory ifAbsent:[self class defaultWorkspaceDirectory]
+!
+
+workspaceDirectory:aDirectoryOrNilForDefault
+    |d|
+    
+    (d := aDirectoryOrNilForDefault) notNil ifTrue:[
+        d := d asFilename
+    ].    
+    self at:#workspaceDirectory put:d
+! !
+
 !UserPreferences methodsFor:'accessing-prefs-localization'!
 
 language