The keyboard layout radio button group allows you to specify if you will be working on a desktop (i.e. with a numeric keypad) or laptop keyboard. Which layout you choose will determine both the Orca Modifier as well as a number of keyboard shortcuts for performing Orca commands.

Default value: Desktop

Normally, when you quit Orca, a confirmation dialog will appear asking you if you do indeed wish to quit Orca. Unchecking the Quit Orca without confirmation checkbox prevents this confirmation window from appearing.

Default value: not checked

When running commands from the launch menu, many distributions use an application known as gksu to authorize the user to run these commands; gksu is the GUI that asks you for your password. When it runs, gksu enables what is known as a "keyboard grab," which is a feature to prevent keyboard actions from going to any other application on the desktop, including Orca. The result of a keyboard grab is that Orca will not receive any keyboard events, preventing Orca from functioning normally.

By checking the Disable gksu keyboard grab checkbox, you will turn off the keyboard grab behavior, allowing Orca to function normally with system administration applications.

The keyboard grab is a security attempt by gksu to prevent nefarious applications from "sniffing" the keyboard and grabbing secret information. Please be advised that disabling the gksu keyboard grab feature can expose you to such nefarious behavior. If you do not feel comfortable with this, you can always use the root account for system administration purposes. To do so, you need to enable the root account for login, and then logout and log back in as root whenever you want to perform a system administration command.

Default value: not checked

When checked, this option will tell Orca to present information about tooltips when they appear as the result of mouse hovering. Specific actions to force tooltips to appear, such as pressing CtrlF1 when an object has focus, will always result in tooltips being presented, regardless of this setting.

Default value: not checked

Many users do not like the Orca main window because it shows up in the window manager's Tab order when you press AltTab to switch windows. By unchecking the Show Orca main window checkbox, you can tell Orca to not show Orca's main window.

Default value: checked

When checked, this option will tell the system to automatically launch Orca when you log in.

Default value: not checked

When checked, this option will tell Orca to present information about the object under the mouse pointer as you move it around the screen using Orca's Mouse Review feature.

Default value: not checked

The Time Format and Date Format combo boxes allow you to specify how Orca will speak and braille the time and the date.

Default value: use the system locale's format for each

The Profiles group of controls, which appear at the bottom of the General page, make it possible for you to maintain and use multiple configurations.