diff --git a/retroshare-gui/src/gui/settings/rsettingswin.cpp b/retroshare-gui/src/gui/settings/rsettingswin.cpp
index ac064397d..6d3f10bbc 100644
--- a/retroshare-gui/src/gui/settings/rsettingswin.cpp
+++ b/retroshare-gui/src/gui/settings/rsettingswin.cpp
@@ -70,6 +70,14 @@ SettingsPage::SettingsPage(QWidget *parent)
     /* Initialize help browser */
     mHelpBrowser = new FloatingHelpBrowser(this, ui.helpButton);
 
+    /* set initial size the splitter */
+    ui.splitter->setStretchFactor(0, 0);
+    ui.splitter->setStretchFactor(1, 1);
+
+    QList<int> sizes;
+    sizes << 200 << width(); // Qt calculates the right sizes
+    ui.splitter->setSizes(sizes);
+
     /* Add own item delegate to get item width*/
     RSElidedItemDelegate *itemDelegate = new RSElidedItemDelegate(this);
     itemDelegate->setSpacing(QSize(0, ITEM_SPACING));
@@ -82,6 +90,8 @@ SettingsPage::SettingsPage(QWidget *parent)
     if (geometry.isEmpty() == false) {
       restoreGeometry(geometry);
     }
+    // state of splitter
+    ui.splitter->restoreState(Settings->valueFromGroup("SettingDialog", "Splitter", QByteArray()).toByteArray());
 
     connect(ui.listWidget, SIGNAL(currentRowChanged(int)), this, SLOT(setNewPage(int)));
     connect(this, SIGNAL(finished(int)), this, SLOT(dialogFinished(int)));
@@ -91,7 +101,9 @@ SettingsPage::~SettingsPage()
 {
     /* Save window position */
     Settings->setValueToGroup("SettingDialog", "Geometry", saveGeometry());
-    lastPage = ui.stackedWidget->currentIndex ();
+    // state of splitter
+    Settings->setValueToGroup("SettingDialog", "Splitter", ui.splitter->saveState());
+    //lastPage = ui.stackedWidget->currentIndex ();
     //_instance = NULL;
 }
 
@@ -197,13 +209,8 @@ void SettingsPage::addPage(ConfigPage *page)
 {
 	ui.stackedWidget->addWidget(page) ;
 
-	QListWidgetItem *item = new QListWidgetItem(QIcon(page->iconPixmap()),page->pageName(),ui.listWidget) ;
-	QFontMetrics fontMetrics = ui.listWidget->fontMetrics();
-	int w = ITEM_SPACING*8;
-	w += ui.listWidget->iconSize().width();
-	w += fontMetrics.width(item->text());
-	if (w > ui.listWidget->maximumWidth())
-		ui.listWidget->setMaximumWidth(w);
+	QListWidgetItem *item = new QListWidgetItem(QIcon(page->iconPixmap()),page->pageName());
+	ui.listWidget->addItem(item);
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/retroshare-gui/src/gui/settings/rsharesettings.cpp b/retroshare-gui/src/gui/settings/rsharesettings.cpp
index ce52b16cc..86a93559e 100644
--- a/retroshare-gui/src/gui/settings/rsharesettings.cpp
+++ b/retroshare-gui/src/gui/settings/rsharesettings.cpp
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ QString RshareSettings::getLanguageCode()
 }
 
 /** Sets the preferred language code. */
-void RshareSettings::setLanguageCode(QString languageCode)
+void RshareSettings::setLanguageCode(const QString& languageCode)
 {
 	setValue(SETTING_LANGUAGE, languageCode);
 }
@@ -162,11 +162,11 @@ void RshareSettings::setLanguageCode(QString languageCode)
 /** Gets the interface style key (e.g., "windows", "motif", etc.) */
 QString RshareSettings::getInterfaceStyle()
 {
-	return value(SETTING_STYLE).toString();
+	return value(SETTING_STYLE, "fusion").toString();
 }
 
 /** Sets the interface style key. */
-void RshareSettings::setInterfaceStyle(QString styleKey)
+void RshareSettings::setInterfaceStyle(const QString& styleKey)
 {
 	setValue(SETTING_STYLE, styleKey);
 }
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ QString RshareSettings::getSheetName()
 	return value(SETTING_SHEETNAME).toString();
 }
 /** Sets the sheetname.*/
-void RshareSettings::setSheetName(QString sheet)                                  
+void RshareSettings::setSheetName(const QString& sheet)
 { 
 	setValue(SETTING_SHEETNAME, sheet);
 }
@@ -865,7 +865,7 @@ bool RshareSettings::setRetroShareProtocol(bool value, QString &error)
 
 		QSettings command("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Software\\Classes\\retroshare\\shell\\open\\command", QSettings::NativeFormat);
 		command.setValue("Default", getAppPathForProtocol());
-		state = command.status();
+		//state = command.status();
 	} else {
 		QSettings classRoot("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Software\\Classes", QSettings::NativeFormat);
 		classRoot.remove("retroshare");
diff --git a/retroshare-gui/src/gui/settings/rsharesettings.h b/retroshare-gui/src/gui/settings/rsharesettings.h
index fe35209ab..abf728391 100644
--- a/retroshare-gui/src/gui/settings/rsharesettings.h
+++ b/retroshare-gui/src/gui/settings/rsharesettings.h
@@ -99,15 +99,15 @@ public:
 	/** Gets the currently preferred language code for RShare. */
 	QString getLanguageCode();
 	/** Saves the preferred language code. */
-	void setLanguageCode(QString languageCode);
+	void setLanguageCode(const QString& languageCode);
 
 	/** Gets the interface style key (e.g., "windows", "motif", etc.) */
 	QString getInterfaceStyle();
 	/** Sets the interface style key. */
-	void setInterfaceStyle(QString styleKey);
+	void setInterfaceStyle(const QString& styleKey);
 
 	/** Sets the stylesheet */
-	void setSheetName(QString sheet);
+	void setSheetName(const QString& sheet);
 	/** Gets the stylesheet */
 	QString getSheetName();
 
diff --git a/retroshare-gui/src/gui/settings/settingsw.ui b/retroshare-gui/src/gui/settings/settingsw.ui
index 3fcfa50a8..fa6f197db 100644
--- a/retroshare-gui/src/gui/settings/settingsw.ui
+++ b/retroshare-gui/src/gui/settings/settingsw.ui
@@ -15,143 +15,157 @@
   </property>
   <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="SettingsHLayout">
    <item>
-    <widget class="QListWidget" name="listWidget">
-     <property name="maximumSize">
-      <size>
-       <width>50</width>
-       <height>16777215</height>
-      </size>
+    <widget class="QSplitter" name="splitter">
+     <property name="sizePolicy">
+      <sizepolicy hsizetype="Expanding" vsizetype="Expanding">
+       <horstretch>0</horstretch>
+       <verstretch>0</verstretch>
+      </sizepolicy>
      </property>
-     <property name="font">
-      <font>
-       <pointsize>11</pointsize>
-      </font>
+     <property name="orientation">
+      <enum>Qt::Horizontal</enum>
      </property>
-     <property name="defaultDropAction">
-      <enum>Qt::IgnoreAction</enum>
+     <property name="childrenCollapsible">
+      <bool>false</bool>
      </property>
-     <property name="iconSize">
-      <size>
-       <width>24</width>
-       <height>24</height>
-      </size>
-     </property>
-     <property name="textElideMode">
-      <enum>Qt::ElideRight</enum>
-     </property>
-     <property name="uniformItemSizes">
-      <bool>true</bool>
-     </property>
-    </widget>
-   </item>
-   <item>
-    <layout class="QVBoxLayout" name="rightVLayout">
-     <item>
-      <layout class="QGridLayout" name="headerGLayout">
-       <item row="0" column="2">
-        <widget class="QToolButton" name="helpButton">
-         <property name="focusPolicy">
-          <enum>Qt::NoFocus</enum>
-         </property>
-         <property name="icon">
-          <iconset resource="../images.qrc">
-           <normaloff>:/icons/help_64.png</normaloff>:/icons/help_64.png</iconset>
-         </property>
-         <property name="checkable">
-          <bool>true</bool>
-         </property>
-         <property name="autoRaise">
-          <bool>true</bool>
-         </property>
-        </widget>
-       </item>
-       <item row="0" column="0">
-        <widget class="QLabel" name="pageicon">
-         <property name="maximumSize">
-          <size>
-           <width>24</width>
-           <height>24</height>
-          </size>
-         </property>
-         <property name="scaledContents">
-          <bool>true</bool>
-         </property>
-        </widget>
-       </item>
-       <item row="0" column="1">
-        <widget class="StyledLabel" name="pageName">
-         <property name="sizePolicy">
-          <sizepolicy hsizetype="Minimum" vsizetype="Maximum">
-           <horstretch>0</horstretch>
-           <verstretch>0</verstretch>
-          </sizepolicy>
-         </property>
-         <property name="font">
-          <font>
-           <weight>75</weight>
-           <bold>true</bold>
-          </font>
-         </property>
-         <property name="text">
-          <string/>
-         </property>
-        </widget>
-       </item>
-       <item row="1" column="0" colspan="3">
-        <widget class="Line" name="headerLine">
-         <property name="orientation">
-          <enum>Qt::Horizontal</enum>
-         </property>
-        </widget>
-       </item>
-      </layout>
-     </item>
-     <item>
-      <widget class="QScrollArea" name="scrollArea">
-       <property name="frameShape">
-        <enum>QFrame::NoFrame</enum>
-       </property>
-       <property name="frameShadow">
-        <enum>QFrame::Plain</enum>
-       </property>
-       <property name="widgetResizable">
-        <bool>true</bool>
-       </property>
-       <widget class="QWidget" name="scrollAreaWidgetContents">
-        <property name="geometry">
-         <rect>
-          <x>0</x>
-          <y>0</y>
-          <width>1313</width>
-          <height>849</height>
-         </rect>
-        </property>
-        <layout class="QVBoxLayout" name="scrollAreaWidgetContentsVLayout">
-         <property name="leftMargin">
-          <number>3</number>
-         </property>
-         <property name="topMargin">
-          <number>3</number>
-         </property>
-         <property name="rightMargin">
-          <number>3</number>
-         </property>
-         <property name="bottomMargin">
-          <number>3</number>
-         </property>
-         <item>
-          <widget class="QStackedWidget" name="stackedWidget">
-           <property name="currentIndex">
-            <number>0</number>
+     <widget class="QListWidget" name="listWidget">
+      <property name="maximumSize">
+       <size>
+        <width>300</width>
+        <height>16777215</height>
+       </size>
+      </property>
+      <property name="font">
+       <font>
+        <pointsize>11</pointsize>
+       </font>
+      </property>
+      <property name="defaultDropAction">
+       <enum>Qt::IgnoreAction</enum>
+      </property>
+      <property name="iconSize">
+       <size>
+        <width>24</width>
+        <height>24</height>
+       </size>
+      </property>
+      <property name="textElideMode">
+       <enum>Qt::ElideRight</enum>
+      </property>
+      <property name="uniformItemSizes">
+       <bool>true</bool>
+      </property>
+     </widget>
+     <widget class="QFrame" name="rightFrame">
+      <layout class="QVBoxLayout" name="rightVLayout">
+       <item>
+        <layout class="QGridLayout" name="headerGLayout">
+         <item row="0" column="2">
+          <widget class="QToolButton" name="helpButton">
+           <property name="focusPolicy">
+            <enum>Qt::NoFocus</enum>
+           </property>
+           <property name="icon">
+            <iconset resource="../icons.qrc">
+             <normaloff>:/icons/help_64.png</normaloff>:/icons/help_64.png</iconset>
+           </property>
+           <property name="checkable">
+            <bool>true</bool>
+           </property>
+           <property name="autoRaise">
+            <bool>true</bool>
+           </property>
+          </widget>
+         </item>
+         <item row="0" column="0">
+          <widget class="QLabel" name="pageicon">
+           <property name="maximumSize">
+            <size>
+             <width>24</width>
+             <height>24</height>
+            </size>
+           </property>
+           <property name="scaledContents">
+            <bool>true</bool>
+           </property>
+          </widget>
+         </item>
+         <item row="0" column="1">
+          <widget class="StyledLabel" name="pageName">
+           <property name="sizePolicy">
+            <sizepolicy hsizetype="Minimum" vsizetype="Maximum">
+             <horstretch>0</horstretch>
+             <verstretch>0</verstretch>
+            </sizepolicy>
+           </property>
+           <property name="font">
+            <font>
+             <weight>75</weight>
+             <bold>true</bold>
+            </font>
+           </property>
+           <property name="text">
+            <string/>
+           </property>
+          </widget>
+         </item>
+         <item row="1" column="0" colspan="3">
+          <widget class="Line" name="headerLine">
+           <property name="orientation">
+            <enum>Qt::Horizontal</enum>
            </property>
-           <widget class="QWidget" name="page"/>
           </widget>
          </item>
         </layout>
-       </widget>
-      </widget>
-     </item>
-    </layout>
+       </item>
+       <item>
+        <widget class="QScrollArea" name="scrollArea">
+         <property name="frameShape">
+          <enum>QFrame::NoFrame</enum>
+         </property>
+         <property name="frameShadow">
+          <enum>QFrame::Plain</enum>
+         </property>
+         <property name="widgetResizable">
+          <bool>true</bool>
+         </property>
+         <widget class="QWidget" name="scrollAreaWidgetContents">
+          <property name="geometry">
+           <rect>
+            <x>0</x>
+            <y>0</y>
+            <width>1313</width>
+            <height>849</height>
+           </rect>
+          </property>
+          <layout class="QVBoxLayout" name="scrollAreaWidgetContentsVLayout">
+           <property name="leftMargin">
+            <number>3</number>
+           </property>
+           <property name="topMargin">
+            <number>3</number>
+           </property>
+           <property name="rightMargin">
+            <number>3</number>
+           </property>
+           <property name="bottomMargin">
+            <number>3</number>
+           </property>
+           <item>
+            <widget class="QStackedWidget" name="stackedWidget">
+             <property name="currentIndex">
+              <number>0</number>
+             </property>
+             <widget class="QWidget" name="page"/>
+            </widget>
+           </item>
+          </layout>
+         </widget>
+        </widget>
+       </item>
+      </layout>
+     </widget>
+    </widget>
    </item>
   </layout>
  </widget>
@@ -163,7 +177,7 @@
   </customwidget>
  </customwidgets>
  <resources>
-  <include location="../images.qrc"/>
+  <include location="../icons.qrc"/>
  </resources>
  <connections/>
 </ui>