>>I agree. if you have a global setting global/public variables are fine.
>
>Hrm... Starting to like idea of globals could be dangerous (i.e. you're warming to globals) --- and we all know "global warming" is a BAD thing.

Yup, everybody's warming that globe, and the maps need to be warmed by their users. Which isn't right, but when one points it out, they all shout "that's redistribution". As if the "all the heat to the globe" isn't one.