To help you with real life preferences, you can make the invisible files visible using some Finder commands, or, easier, with a small utility InVisibles (http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/12194/invisibles).
If you then open your Users/yourname/Library/preferences folder you will see a whole bunch of hidden (invisible) preferences starting with .global.
Just an example.


Alex
3.1 GHz 13" MacBook Pro 2015, 8 GB RAM, OS 10.11.2, Office 2011, TimeWarner Cable
2.8 GHz Xeon Mac Pro 2010, 16 GB RAM, OS 10.11.2, Office 2011, LAN