diff --git a/INSTALL b/INSTALL
index 5f174e0..c05df98 100644
--- a/INSTALL
+++ b/INSTALL
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 
 2. Configure the following paths for your setup. These variables 
    are located in the file tinyca itself.
+   As of version 0.7.6 these settings should be configured in
+   /etc/tinyca/tinyca.cnf. So there is no more need to modify
+   the code itself. See tinyca.cnf.example.
 
 @INC                    (location of the directory lib)
 $init->{'opensslbin'}   (location of your openssl binary)
diff --git a/lib/GUI.pm b/lib/GUI.pm
index 0510668..f390377 100644
--- a/lib/GUI.pm
+++ b/lib/GUI.pm
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ sub new {
    $self->{'cursor'}     = Gtk2::Gdk::Cursor->new('left-ptr');
    $self->{'rootwin'}    = Gtk2::Gdk->get_default_root_window();
 
-   # split window to add menu, toolbar and notebook
+   # split window horizontal to add menu, toolbar and notebook
    $self->{'mvb'} = Gtk2::VBox->new();
    $self->{'mw'}->add($self->{'mvb'});
 
diff --git a/lib/HELPERS.pm b/lib/HELPERS.pm
index 8c072fe..8070949 100644
--- a/lib/HELPERS.pm
+++ b/lib/HELPERS.pm
@@ -21,11 +21,38 @@ use strict;
 package HELPERS;
 
 use POSIX;
+use Config::Tiny;
 
 my $version = "0.1";
 my $true = 1;
 my $false = undef;
 
+#
+# read global configuration file
+#
+sub read_global_cfg {
+   my $cfg = Config::Tiny->read("/etc/tinyca/tinyca.cnf", 'utf8');
+   return ($cfg);
+}
+
+#
+# read a per CA configuration
+#
+sub read_cfg {
+   my $base = shift;
+   my $cfg = Config::Tiny->read($base."/tinyca.cnf", 'utf8');
+   return ($cfg);
+}
+
+#
+# read per user configuration
+# e.g. last used ca, last window position
+#
+sub read_user_cfg {
+   my $cfg = Config::Tiny->read($ENV{HOME}."/.tinycarc", 'utf8');
+   return ($cfg);
+}
+
 # 
 # generate filename from Subject-DN
 # 
diff --git a/tinyca.cnf.example b/tinyca.cnf.example
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e1dafa7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tinyca.cnf.example
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+[paths]
+basedir = /var/lib/tinyca
+exportdir = /tmp
+templatedir = /usr/share/tinyaca/templates
+
+opensslbin = /usr/bin/openssl
+zipbin = /usr/bin/zip
+tarbin = /bin/tar
diff --git a/tinyca2 b/tinyca2
index 29308a2..1b39b3d 100755
--- a/tinyca2
+++ b/tinyca2
@@ -52,49 +52,50 @@ textdomain("tinyca2");
 # https://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=78576
 $ENV{XLIB_SKIP_ARGB_VISUALS}= '1';
 
+my $cfg = HELPERS::read_global_cfg();
 my $init = {};
 
 # location of openssl
-$init->{'opensslbin'} = "/usr/bin/openssl";
-$init->{'zipbin'} = "/usr/bin/zip";
-$init->{'tarbin'} = "/bin/tar";
+$init->{'opensslbin'} = $cfg->{paths}{opensslbin} // "/usr/bin/openssl";
+$init->{'zipbin'} = $cfg->{paths}{zipbin} // "/usr/bin/zip";
+$init->{'tarbin'} = $cfg->{paths}{tarbin} // "/bin/tar";
 
 if(not -x $init->{'opensslbin'}) {
    printf(gettext("Can't execute %s.\n"), $init->{'opensslbin'});
-   print gettext("Configure correct path to openssl in tinyca.\n");
+   print gettext("Configure correct path to openssl.\n");
    exit(1);
 }
 
 if(not -x $init->{'zipbin'}) {
    print gettext("zip command not found, support disabled.\n");
-   print gettext("Configure correct path to zip in tinyca.\n");
+   print gettext("Configure correct path to zip.\n");
 }
 
 if(not -x $init->{'tarbin'}) {
    print gettext("tar command not found, support disabled.\n");
-   print gettext("Configure correct path to tar in tinyca.\n");
+   print gettext("Configure correct path to tar.\n");
 }
 
 # directory with the templates
-$init->{'templatedir'} = "./templates";
+$init->{'templatedir'} = $cfg->{paths}{templatedir} // "./templates";
 
 if(not -d $init->{'templatedir'}) {
    print gettext("Can't find templatedir.\n");
-   print gettext("Please configure correct path with templates in tinyca.\n");
+   print gettext("Please configure correct path with templates.\n");
    exit(1);
 }
 
 # location for CA files
 if( exists $ENV{'TINYCA_BASEDIR'}) {
-   $init->{'basedir'}   = $ENV{'TINYCA_BASEDIR'}
+   $init->{'basedir'} = $ENV{'TINYCA_BASEDIR'}
 } else {
-   $init->{'basedir'}   = $ENV{HOME}."/.TinyCA";
+   $init->{'basedir'} = $cfg->{paths}{basedir} // $ENV{HOME}."/.TinyCA";
 }
 
 if( exists $ENV{'TINYCA_EXPORTDIR'}) {
    $init->{'exportdir'} = $ENV{'TINYCA_EXPORTDIR'};
 } else {
-   $init->{'exportdir'} = $ENV{HOME};
+   $init->{'exportdir'} = $cfg->{paths}{exportdir} // $ENV{HOME};
 }
 
 umask(0077);