diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index be50cf4..a07e7ec 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ src_backend_libbackend_la_LDFLAGS = \
 
 # Please keep this in sorted order:
 src_backend_libbackend_la_SOURCES = \
-		src/backend/global_settings.cc \
+		src/backend/global_preferences.cc \
 		src/backend/history.cc \
 		src/backend/observed_subject.cc \
 		src/backend/policies_gatekeeper.cc \
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ src_backend_libbackend_la_SOURCES = \
 
 pkginclude_HEADERS = \
 		config.h \
-		src/backend/global_settings.hh \
+		src/backend/global_preferences.hh \
 		src/backend/history.hh \
 		src/backend/observed_subject.hh \
 		src/backend/plugin.hh \
diff --git a/plugins/pyloader/src/python_policy_manager.cc b/plugins/pyloader/src/python_policy_manager.cc
index a4dfca2..d661483 100644
--- a/plugins/pyloader/src/python_policy_manager.cc
+++ b/plugins/pyloader/src/python_policy_manager.cc
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 // Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA
 
 #include "python_policy_manager.hh"
-#include "global_settings.hh"
+#include "global_preferences.hh"
 
 #include <Python.h>
 #include <glibmm/ustring.h>
@@ -108,8 +108,8 @@ PythonPolicyManager::init()
   
   Glib::ustring importdirs = "import sys\n" 
       "sys.path[:0] = [ ";
-  for_each(GlobalSettings::instance().policies_dir_begin(),
-	   GlobalSettings::instance().policies_dir_end(),
+  for_each(GlobalPreferences::instance().policies_dir_begin(),
+	   GlobalPreferences::instance().policies_dir_end(),
 	   pol_dirs_concat(importdirs));
   importdirs += " '" SHAREDIR "' ]\n";
 
@@ -130,8 +130,8 @@ PythonPolicyManager::get_avail_policies()
 void
 PythonPolicyManager::collect_policies()
 {
-  GlobalSettings::dir_iterator dir_it = GlobalSettings::instance().policies_dir_begin();
-  GlobalSettings::dir_iterator dir_end = GlobalSettings::instance().policies_dir_end();
+  GlobalPreferences::dir_iterator dir_it = GlobalPreferences::instance().policies_dir_begin();
+  GlobalPreferences::dir_iterator dir_end = GlobalPreferences::instance().policies_dir_end();
 
   for(; dir_it != dir_end; ++dir_it)
   {
diff --git a/plugins/pyloader/src/testsuite/test-python_loader.cc b/plugins/pyloader/src/testsuite/test-python_loader.cc
index 1ee4117..a242efa 100644
--- a/plugins/pyloader/src/testsuite/test-python_loader.cc
+++ b/plugins/pyloader/src/testsuite/test-python_loader.cc
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 
 #include "../python_policy_manager.hh"
 #include "../python_policy.hh"
-#include "global_settings.hh"
+#include "global_preferences.hh"
 #include "schedulable_queue.hh"
 #include "scheduler.hh"
 #include "user_interrupt_exception.hh"
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ main(int argc, char** argv) {
     }
     else 
       // Add argv[1] as the directory to search for uninstalled policies
-      sgpem::GlobalSettings::instance().add_policies_dir(argv[1]);
+      sgpem::GlobalPreferences::instance().add_policies_dir(argv[1]);
 
     // Self-register itself to Scheduler, however we don't care about it
     TestPythonPolicyManager polman;
diff --git a/src/main.cc b/src/main.cc
index 9f53d0c..058a75b 100644
--- a/src/main.cc
+++ b/src/main.cc
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 #include "backend/process.hh"
 #include "backend/policy.hh"
 #include "backend/policy_parameters.hh"
-#include "backend/global_settings.hh"
+#include "backend/global_preferences.hh"
 #include "standard_io.hh"
 #include "text_simulation.hh"
 
@@ -63,8 +63,8 @@ static void load_pyloader_plugin() {
     // Leaks willingly:
     Module* pyloader = 0;
 
-    GlobalSettings::dir_iterator it = GlobalSettings::instance().modules_dir_begin();
-    while(it != GlobalSettings::instance().modules_dir_end()) {
+    GlobalPreferences::dir_iterator it = GlobalPreferences::instance().modules_dir_begin();
+    while(it != GlobalPreferences::instance().modules_dir_end()) {
 	std::string pyloader_path = Module::build_path(*it, "pyloader");
 	pyloader = new Module(pyloader_path);
 	if(*pyloader) break;
diff --git a/src/parse_opts.cc b/src/parse_opts.cc
index a2ee50b..c26422b 100644
--- a/src/parse_opts.cc
+++ b/src/parse_opts.cc
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 #include "config.h"
 #include "gettext.h"
 
-#include "backend/global_settings.hh"
+#include "backend/global_preferences.hh"
 #include "parse_opts.hh"
 
 #ifdef _GNU_SOURCE
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ static void display_help();
 void
 parse_options(int& argc, char**& argv) 
 {
-		using sgpem::GlobalSettings;
+		using sgpem::GlobalPreferences;
 
 		print_license();
   
@@ -80,10 +80,10 @@ parse_options(int& argc, char**& argv)
 								// FIXME : to be written!
 								break;
 						case 'P':
-								GlobalSettings::instance().add_policies_dir(optarg);
+								GlobalPreferences::instance().add_policies_dir(optarg);
 								break;
 						case 'M':
-								GlobalSettings::instance().add_modules_dir(optarg);
+								GlobalPreferences::instance().add_modules_dir(optarg);
 								break;
 						case ':':
 								printf(_("[EE] Wrong number of parameters. Please see \n"