diff --git a/collects/mred/prefs.ss b/collects/mred/prefs.ss
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..68d2fcea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/collects/mred/prefs.ss
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+(define mred:preferences@
+  (unit/s mred:preferences^
+    (import [mred:debug mred:debug^]
+	    [mred:exn mred:exn^])
+    
+    (define preferences-filename
+      (case wx:platform
+	[(unix) (build-path (expand-path "~") ".mred.prefs")]
+	[(macintosh) "Mred Preferences"]
+	[else "mred.pre"])) ;; windows 
+
+    (define preferences (make-hash-table))
+
+    (define get-preference 
+      (lambda (p) 
+	(hash-table-get preferences p
+			(lambda () 
+			  (raise (mred:exn:make-exn:unknown-preference
+				  (format "unknown preference: ~a" p)))))))
+
+    (define set-preference
+      (lambda (p value) (hash-table-put! preferences p value)))
+
+    (define defaults '((highlight-parens #t)))
+
+    (define restore-defaults
+      (lambda ()
+	(for-each (lambda (x) (apply set-preference x)) 
+		  defaults)))
+
+    (define save-user-preferences (lambda () (mred:debug:printf "saving prefs~n")))
+    (define read-user-preferences (lambda () (mred:debug:printf "reading prefs~n")))
+    
+    (restore-defaults)
+    (read-user-preferences)))
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