--- a/smalltalk.rc	Fri Feb 24 15:18:50 2017 +0100
+++ b/smalltalk.rc	Fri Mar 03 16:22:53 2017 +0100
@@ -606,7 +606,7 @@
 "/ read private (per user) stuff
 "/
 (Smalltalk commandLine includes:'-F') ifTrue:[
-    |idx file|
+    |idx|
 
     idx := Smalltalk commandLine indexOf:'-F'.
     file := Smalltalk commandLine at:idx + 1.
@@ -615,7 +615,6 @@
 ].
 ('smalltalk.rc [info]: reading ''' , file , '''...') infoPrintCR.
 Smalltalk fileIn:file.
-
 !
 
 "JV@2012-05-03: Search system path for rc.d directories, collect all *.rc files
@@ -649,7 +648,6 @@
 	'OK' infoPrintCR.
     ].
 ].
-
 !
 
 Screen notNil ifTrue:[
@@ -738,6 +736,19 @@
 ].
 !
 
+"/ if there is a super-private.rc file in the workspaceDirectory,
+"/ file that in as well.
+|file|
+
+(UserPreferences current workspaceDirectory notNil
+  and:[ (file := UserPreferences current workspaceDirectory asFilename / 'private.rc') exists ])
+ifTrue:[
+    file := file pathName.
+    ('smalltalk.rc [info]: reading ''' , file , '''...') infoPrintCR.
+    Smalltalk fileIn:file.
+].
+!
+
 "/
 "/ just a quick check, if this ST/X installation seems to
 "/ be halfway complete (it happened to some people, that
@@ -749,29 +760,29 @@
     anyWrong := false.
     missing := ''.
 
-"/
-"/ no longer needed - if we have the package,
-"/ we also have the resources ...
-"/
-"/    (Smalltalk getResourceFileName:'SystemBrowser.rs' forClass:SystemBrowser) isNil ifTrue:[
-"/        '***********************************************************************' errorPrintCR.
-"/        '***** ATTENTION: please check installation of your >>resource<< files' errorPrintCR.
-"/        '***** I will not be able to give non-english messages' errorPrintCR.
-"/        anyWrong := true.
-"/        missing := '''resources'' '.
-"/    ].
+    "/
+    "/ no longer needed - if we have the package,
+    "/ we also have the resources ...
+    "/
+    "/    (Smalltalk getResourceFileName:'SystemBrowser.rs' forClass:SystemBrowser) isNil ifTrue:[
+    "/        '***********************************************************************' errorPrintCR.
+    "/        '***** ATTENTION: please check installation of your >>resource<< files' errorPrintCR.
+    "/        '***** I will not be able to give non-english messages' errorPrintCR.
+    "/        anyWrong := true.
+    "/        missing := '''resources'' '.
+    "/    ].
 
-"/
-"/ no longer needed - if we have the package,
-"/ we also have the styles ...
-"/
-"/    (Smalltalk getResourceFileName:'normal.style' forClass:View) isNil ifTrue:[
-"/        '***********************************************************************' errorPrintCR.
-"/        '***** ATTENTION: please check installation of your >>style<< files' errorPrintCR.
-"/        '***** I will use a plain b&w viewStyle as a fallBack' errorPrintCR.
-"/        anyWrong := true.
-"/        missing := missing , '''resources'' '.
-"/    ].
+    "/
+    "/ no longer needed - if we have the package,
+    "/ we also have the styles ...
+    "/
+    "/    (Smalltalk getResourceFileName:'normal.style' forClass:View) isNil ifTrue:[
+    "/        '***********************************************************************' errorPrintCR.
+    "/        '***** ATTENTION: please check installation of your >>style<< files' errorPrintCR.
+    "/        '***** I will use a plain b&w viewStyle as a fallBack' errorPrintCR.
+    "/        anyWrong := true.
+    "/        missing := missing , '''resources'' '.
+    "/    ].
 
     (Smalltalk getPackageFileName:'stx/libbasic/source/Object.st') isNil and:[
 	(Smalltalk getPackageFileName:'stx/libbasic/Object.st') isNil and:[
@@ -792,16 +803,16 @@
 		missing := missing , '''source'' '.
     ]]]]]]].
 
-"/
-"/ no longer needed - if we have the package,
-"/ we also have the bitmaps ...
-"/
-"/    (Smalltalk bitmapFromFileNamed:'SmalltalkX.xbm' inPackage:'stx:libtool') isNil ifTrue:[
-"/        '***********************************************************************' errorPrintCR.
-"/        '***** ATTENTION: please check installation of your >>bitmap<< files' errorPrintCR.
-"/        anyWrong := true.
-"/        missing := missing , '''bitmaps'' '.
-"/    ].
+    "/
+    "/ no longer needed - if we have the package,
+    "/ we also have the bitmaps ...
+    "/
+    "/    (Smalltalk bitmapFromFileNamed:'SmalltalkX.xbm' inPackage:'stx:libtool') isNil ifTrue:[
+    "/        '***********************************************************************' errorPrintCR.
+    "/        '***** ATTENTION: please check installation of your >>bitmap<< files' errorPrintCR.
+    "/        anyWrong := true.
+    "/        missing := missing , '''bitmaps'' '.
+    "/    ].
 
     anyWrong ifTrue:[
 	'*****' errorPrintCR.
@@ -821,7 +832,7 @@
 !
 
 "/
-"/ set the package to some useful default
+"/ set the current package to some useful default
 "/
 Project notNil ifTrue:[
     Project setDefaultProject.
@@ -836,7 +847,7 @@
 
 
 "/
-"/ load initial packages
+"/ load initial packages (as set in the user's prefs)
 "/
 UserPreferences current autoloadedPackages notEmpty ifTrue:[
   (Smalltalk commandLineArguments includesAny:#('--noAutoload' '--noautoload')) ifTrue:[