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I think it'd be handy to have a button to reset Preferences to default settings. For example, say you mess up your Graphics Detail settings and can't remember what they were when you first installed SL. So you just click the button and voila!

It'd be a lot friendlier than than having to dig into

C:\Documents and Settings[USERNAME]\Application Data\SecondLife\user_settings

and deleting settings.ini. Plus, it has the advantage of being more selective: this button should work on a per-tab basis.
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Adding a local reset button to each tab seems like a good idea. I would expect that it will be clear enough to residents that their effect is to simply populate the controls in the same tab with their factory default values that will only take effect once they hit OK or Apply for the main dialog.

I expect that it's even more important to have a "reset all" button on the bottom button row (below all the tabs) that operates similarly to the "Apply" button in that it's effects can not be undone. This is so that residents do not have to reset each tab's settings individually in order to get a full reset. I'm not sure exactly where to place that button and I expect that we'd want some sort of indication like with the Language control that it will require a restart for full effect. A tooltip to that effect may not be enough warning. Another potential problem might be that the likely implementation for a global pref reset would remove all prefs in settings.ini regardless of how they were placed in there.

https://jira.secondlife.com/browse/WEB-589

I would suggest just to create a simple option "Reset Interface to default" under Help in the main menu. Easy to find and probably highly effective (keep it simple!). Interface because otherwise questions may arise if this option will also reset the avatar.

Most new residents have no idea about Preferences. Also if they are stuck with debug interfaces on their screen, you can not change Preferencs (it goes under the debug windows). This happens a lot as people accidently hit the wrong key combinations.

The only thing you might want to make optional in this UI Reset is the language selection. It should also show a clear message about what will and what will not happen during the reset.

Also another good option under Help would be "Reset Avatar to default". (Now it is burried way too deep into the Debug menu's. New residents have no clue about the debugging options, but after messing up the avi, they often like to start over again).

Kind regards,
Lisa Lowe