--- a/doc/faq/Octave-FAQ.texi
+++ b/doc/faq/Octave-FAQ.texi
@@ -720,11 +720,9 @@
   PS2                           = ""
   beep_on_error                 = true
   crash_dumps_octave_core       = false
-  default_global_variable_value = []
   default_save_format           = "mat-binary"
   define_all_return_values      = true
   fixed_point_format            = true
-  initialize_global_variables   = true
   page_screen_output            = false
   print_empty_dimensions        = false
   warn_function_name_clash      = false

--- a/doc/interpreter/basics.txi
+++ b/doc/interpreter/basics.txi
@@ -160,11 +160,9 @@
   PS2                           = ""
   beep_on_error                 = true
   crash_dumps_octave_core       = false
-  default_global_variable_value = []
   default_save_format           = "mat-binary"
   define_all_return_values      = true
   fixed_point_format            = true
-  initialize_global_variables   = true
   page_screen_output            = false
   print_empty_dimensions        = false
   warn_function_name_clash      = false

--- a/doc/interpreter/var.txi
+++ b/doc/interpreter/var.txi
@@ -138,10 +138,6 @@
 but the value of @code{x} at the top level remains unchanged, because
 the function works with a @emph{copy} of its argument.
 
-@DOCSTRING(initialize_global_variables)
-
-@DOCSTRING(default_global_variable_value)
-
 @DOCSTRING(isglobal)
 
 @node Status of Variables

--- a/scripts/ChangeLog
+++ b/scripts/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2003-07-13  John W. Eaton  <jwe@bevo.che.wisc.edu>
+
+	* miscellaneous/dump_prefs.m: Delete default_global_variable_value
+	and initialize_global_variables from the list.
+
 2003-07-11  John W. Eaton  <jwe@bevo.che.wisc.edu>
 
 	* image/colormap.m: Don't save and restore default_eval_print_flag.

--- a/scripts/miscellaneous/dump_prefs.m
+++ b/scripts/miscellaneous/dump_prefs.m
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@
               "beep_on_error";
               "completion_append_char";
               "crash_dumps_octave_core";
-              "default_global_variable_value";
               "default_return_value";
               "default_save_format";
               "define_all_return_values";
@@ -71,7 +70,6 @@
               "history_file";
               "history_size";
               "ignore_function_time_stamp";
-              "initialize_global_variables";
               "max_recursion_depth";
               "output_max_field_width";
               "output_precision";

--- a/src/ChangeLog
+++ b/src/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,14 @@
+2003-07-13  John W. Eaton  <jwe@bevo.che.wisc.edu>
+
+	* octave.cc (maximum_braindamage): Don't set
+	default_global_variable_value or initialize_global_variables.
+
+	* pt-decl.cc (Vinitialize_global_variables): Delete.
+	(initialize_global_variables): Delete.
+	(symbols_of_pt_decl): Delete.
+	(tree_global_command::do_init): Default initial value is now
+	always [].
+
 2003-07-11  John W. Eaton  <jwe@bevo.che.wisc.edu>
 
 	* octave.cc (maximum_braindamage): Don't set default_eval_print_flag.

--- a/src/octave.cc
+++ b/src/octave.cc
@@ -346,11 +346,9 @@
   bind_builtin_variable ("PS2", "");
   bind_builtin_variable ("beep_on_error", true);
   bind_builtin_variable ("crash_dumps_octave_core", false);
-  bind_builtin_variable ("default_global_variable_value", Matrix ());
   bind_builtin_variable ("default_save_format", "mat-binary");
   bind_builtin_variable ("define_all_return_values", true);
   bind_builtin_variable ("fixed_point_format", true);
-  bind_builtin_variable ("initialize_global_variables", true);
   bind_builtin_variable ("page_screen_output", false);
   bind_builtin_variable ("print_empty_dimensions", false);
   bind_builtin_variable ("warn_function_name_clash", false);

--- a/src/pt-decl.cc
+++ b/src/pt-decl.cc
@@ -40,10 +40,6 @@
 #include "utils.h"
 #include "variables.h"
 
-// Control whether otherwise uninitialized global variables are
-// given a default value.
-static int Vinitialize_global_variables;
-
 // Declarations (global, static, etc.).
 
 tree_decl_elt::~tree_decl_elt (void)
@@ -116,9 +112,8 @@
 
 	      if (expr)
 		init_val = expr->rvalue ();
-	      else if (Vinitialize_global_variables)
-		init_val
-		  = builtin_any_variable ("default_global_variable_value");
+	      else
+		init_val = Matrix ();
 
 	      ult.assign (octave_value::op_asn_eq, init_val);
 	    }
@@ -182,50 +177,6 @@
     }
 }
 
-static int
-initialize_global_variables (void)
-{
-  Vinitialize_global_variables
-    = check_preference ("initialize_global_variables");
-
-  return 0;
-}
-
-void
-symbols_of_pt_decl (void)
-{
-  DEFVAR (default_global_variable_value, , 0,
-    "-*- texinfo -*-\n\
-@defvr {Built-in Variable} default_global_variable_value\n\
-The default for value for otherwise uninitialized global variables.\n\
-Only used if the variable initialize_global_variables is nonzero.\n\
-If @code{initialize_global_variables} is nonzero, the value of\n\
-@code{default_glbaol_variable_value} is used as the initial value of\n\
-global variables that are not explicitly initialized.  for example,\n\
-\n\
-@example\n\
-@group\n\
-initialize_global_variables = 1;\n\
-default_global_variable_value = 13;\n\
-global foo;\n\
-foo\n\
-     @result{} 13\n\
-@end group\n\
-@end example\n\
-\n\
-the variable @code{default_global_variable_value} is initially undefined.\n\
-@end defvr");
-
-  DEFVAR (initialize_global_variables, false, initialize_global_variables,
-    "-*- texinfo -*-\n\
-@defvr initialize_global_variables\n\
-If the value of this variable is nonzero, global variables are given\n\
-the default initial value specified by the built-in variable\n\
-@code{default_global_variable_value}.\n\
-@end defvr");
-
-}
-
 /*
 ;;; Local Variables: ***
 ;;; mode: C++ ***