diff --git a/searx/languages.py b/searx/languages.py
index b67da9d22..70459a577 100644
--- a/searx/languages.py
+++ b/searx/languages.py
@@ -20,10 +20,10 @@ language_codes = (
     ("ar_XA", "Arabic", "Arabia"),
     ("bg_BG", "Bulgarian", "Bulgaria"),
     ("cs_CZ", "Czech", "Czech Republic"),
-    ("de_DE", "German", "Germany"),
     ("da_DK", "Danish", "Denmark"),
     ("de_AT", "German", "Austria"),
     ("de_CH", "German", "Switzerland"),
+    ("de_DE", "German", "Germany"),
     ("el_GR", "Greek", "Greece"),
     ("en_AU", "English", "Australia"),
     ("en_CA", "English", "Canada"),
@@ -58,10 +58,10 @@ language_codes = (
     ("ko_KR", "Korean", "Korea"),
     ("lt_LT", "Lithuanian", "Lithuania"),
     ("lv_LV", "Latvian", "Latvia"),
-    ("oc_OC", "Occitan", "Occitan"),
     ("nb_NO", "Norwegian", "Norway"),
     ("nl_BE", "Dutch", "Belgium"),
     ("nl_NL", "Dutch", "Netherlands"),
+    ("oc_OC", "Occitan", "Occitan"),
     ("pl_PL", "Polish", "Poland"),
     ("pt_BR", "Portuguese", "Brazil"),
     ("pt_PT", "Portuguese", "Portugal"),
diff --git a/searx/query.py b/searx/query.py
index e79e760a3..3d617ab05 100644
--- a/searx/query.py
+++ b/searx/query.py
@@ -28,12 +28,12 @@ import re
 class Query(object):
     """parse query"""
 
-    def __init__(self, query, blocked_engines):
+    def __init__(self, query, disabled_engines):
         self.query = query
-        self.blocked_engines = []
+        self.disabled_engines = []
 
-        if blocked_engines:
-            self.blocked_engines = blocked_engines
+        if disabled_engines:
+            self.disabled_engines = disabled_engines
 
         self.query_parts = []
         self.engines = []
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ class Query(object):
                     self.engines.extend({'category': prefix,
                                          'name': engine.name}
                                         for engine in categories[prefix]
-                                        if (engine.name, prefix) not in self.blocked_engines)
+                                        if (engine.name, prefix) not in self.disabled_engines)
 
             if query_part[0] == '!':
                 self.specific = True
diff --git a/searx/search.py b/searx/search.py
index f38d40106..a40801640 100644
--- a/searx/search.py
+++ b/searx/search.py
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ class Search(object):
         self.lang = 'all'
 
         # set blocked engines
-        self.blocked_engines = request.preferences.engines.get_disabled()
+        self.disabled_engines = request.preferences.engines.get_disabled()
 
         self.result_container = ResultContainer()
         self.request_data = {}
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ class Search(object):
 
         # parse query, if tags are set, which change
         # the serch engine or search-language
-        query_obj = Query(self.request_data['q'], self.blocked_engines)
+        query_obj = Query(self.request_data['q'], self.disabled_engines)
         query_obj.parse_query()
 
         # set query
@@ -227,8 +227,7 @@ class Search(object):
             # using user-defined default-configuration which
             # (is stored in cookie)
             if not self.categories:
-                cookie_categories = request.cookies.get('categories', '')
-                cookie_categories = cookie_categories.split(',')
+                cookie_categories = request.preferences.get_value('categories')
                 for ccateg in cookie_categories:
                     if ccateg in categories:
                         self.categories.append(ccateg)
@@ -244,7 +243,7 @@ class Search(object):
                 self.engines.extend({'category': categ,
                                      'name': engine.name}
                                     for engine in categories[categ]
-                                    if (engine.name, categ) not in self.blocked_engines)
+                                    if (engine.name, categ) not in self.disabled_engines)
 
         # remove suspended engines
         self.engines = [e for e in self.engines
diff --git a/searx/templates/courgette/preferences.html b/searx/templates/courgette/preferences.html
index f89915d8d..ba4d0c650 100644
--- a/searx/templates/courgette/preferences.html
+++ b/searx/templates/courgette/preferences.html
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@
                     <td>{{ search_engine.name }} ({{ shortcuts[search_engine.name] }})&lrm;</td>
                     <td>{{ _(categ) }}</td>
                     <td class="engine_checkbox">
-                        <input type="checkbox" id="engine_{{ categ|replace(' ', '_') }}_{{ search_engine.name|replace(' ', '_') }}" name="engine_{{ search_engine.name }}__{{ categ }}"{% if (search_engine.name, categ) in blocked_engines %} checked="checked"{% endif %} />
+                        <input type="checkbox" id="engine_{{ categ|replace(' ', '_') }}_{{ search_engine.name|replace(' ', '_') }}" name="engine_{{ search_engine.name }}__{{ categ }}"{% if (search_engine.name, categ) in disabled_engines %} checked="checked"{% endif %} />
                         <label class="allow" for="engine_{{ categ|replace(' ', '_') }}_{{ search_engine.name|replace(' ', '_') }}">{{ _('Allow') }}</label>
                         <label class="deny" for="engine_{{ categ|replace(' ', '_') }}_{{ search_engine.name|replace(' ', '_') }}">{{ _('Block') }}</label>
                     </td>
diff --git a/searx/templates/default/preferences.html b/searx/templates/default/preferences.html
index 90006c029..a47dba458 100644
--- a/searx/templates/default/preferences.html
+++ b/searx/templates/default/preferences.html
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@
                 <td>{{ search_engine.name }} ({{ shortcuts[search_engine.name] }})&lrm;</td>
                 <td>{{ _(categ) }}</td>
                 <td class="engine_checkbox">
-                    <input type="checkbox" id="engine_{{ categ|replace(' ', '_') }}_{{ search_engine.name|replace(' ', '_') }}" name="engine_{{ search_engine.name }}__{{ categ }}"{% if (search_engine.name, categ) in blocked_engines %} checked="checked"{% endif %} />
+                    <input type="checkbox" id="engine_{{ categ|replace(' ', '_') }}_{{ search_engine.name|replace(' ', '_') }}" name="engine_{{ search_engine.name }}__{{ categ }}"{% if (search_engine.name, categ) in disabled_engines %} checked="checked"{% endif %} />
                     <label class="allow" for="engine_{{ categ|replace(' ', '_') }}_{{ search_engine.name|replace(' ', '_') }}">{{ _('Allow') }}</label>
                     <label class="deny" for="engine_{{ categ|replace(' ', '_') }}_{{ search_engine.name|replace(' ', '_') }}">{{ _('Block') }}</label>
                 </td>
diff --git a/searx/templates/oscar/preferences.html b/searx/templates/oscar/preferences.html
index c677a0c66..a2c493a02 100644
--- a/searx/templates/oscar/preferences.html
+++ b/searx/templates/oscar/preferences.html
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@
                             {% if not search_engine.private %}
                                 <tr>
                                     {% if not rtl %}
-                                    <td>{{ checkbox_toggle('engine_' + search_engine.name|replace(' ', '_') + '__' + categ|replace(' ', '_'), (search_engine.name, categ) in blocked_engines) }}</td>
+                                    <td>{{ checkbox_toggle('engine_' + search_engine.name|replace(' ', '_') + '__' + categ|replace(' ', '_'), (search_engine.name, categ) in disabled_engines) }}</td>
                                     <th>{{ search_engine.name }}</th>
 				    <td>{{ shortcuts[search_engine.name] }}</td>
 				    <td><input type="checkbox" {{ "checked" if search_engine.safesearch==True else ""}} readonly="readonly" disabled="disabled"></td>
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@
 				    <td><input type="checkbox" {{ "checked" if search_engine.safesearch==True else ""}} readonly="readonly" disabled="disabled"></td>
 				    <td>{{ shortcuts[search_engine.name] }}</td>
                                     <th>{{ search_engine.name }}</th>
-                                    <td>{{ checkbox_toggle('engine_' + search_engine.name|replace(' ', '_') + '__' + categ|replace(' ', '_'), (search_engine.name, categ) in blocked_engines) }}</td>
+                                    <td>{{ checkbox_toggle('engine_' + search_engine.name|replace(' ', '_') + '__' + categ|replace(' ', '_'), (search_engine.name, categ) in disabled_engines) }}</td>
                                     {% endif %}
                                 </tr>
                             {% endif %}
diff --git a/searx/templates/pix-art/preferences.html b/searx/templates/pix-art/preferences.html
index f59497ec8..a4a6cd268 100644
--- a/searx/templates/pix-art/preferences.html
+++ b/searx/templates/pix-art/preferences.html
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@
             <tr>
                 <td>{{ search_engine.name }} ({{ shortcuts[search_engine.name] }})&lrm;</td>
                 <td class="engine_checkbox">
-                    <input type="checkbox" id="engine_{{ categ|replace(' ', '_') }}_{{ search_engine.name|replace(' ', '_') }}" name="engine_{{ search_engine.name }}__{{ categ }}"{% if (search_engine.name, categ) in blocked_engines %} checked="checked"{% endif %} />
+                    <input type="checkbox" id="engine_{{ categ|replace(' ', '_') }}_{{ search_engine.name|replace(' ', '_') }}" name="engine_{{ search_engine.name }}__{{ categ }}"{% if (search_engine.name, categ) in disabled_engines %} checked="checked"{% endif %} />
                     <label class="allow" for="engine_{{ categ|replace(' ', '_') }}_{{ search_engine.name|replace(' ', '_') }}">{{ _('Allow') }}</label>
                     <label class="deny" for="engine_{{ categ|replace(' ', '_') }}_{{ search_engine.name|replace(' ', '_') }}">{{ _('Block') }}</label>
                 </td>
diff --git a/searx/webapp.py b/searx/webapp.py
index 7f0b56101..ed8ff1bd9 100644
--- a/searx/webapp.py
+++ b/searx/webapp.py
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ try:
     import pyasn1  # NOQA
 except ImportError:
     logger.critical("The pyopenssl, ndg-httpsclient, pyasn1 packages have to be installed.\n"
-                    "Some HTTPS connections will failed")
+                    "Some HTTPS connections will fail")
 
 
 static_path, templates_path, themes =\
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ for indice, theme in enumerate(themes):
     for (dirpath, dirnames, filenames) in os.walk(theme_img_path):
         global_favicons[indice].extend(filenames)
 
+# used when translating category names
 _category_names = (gettext('files'),
                    gettext('general'),
                    gettext('music'),
@@ -128,11 +129,8 @@ outgoing_proxies = settings['outgoing'].get('proxies', None)
 def get_locale():
     locale = request.accept_languages.best_match(settings['locales'].keys())
 
-    if settings['ui'].get('default_locale'):
-        locale = settings['ui']['default_locale']
-
-    if request.cookies.get('locale', '') in settings['locales']:
-        locale = request.cookies.get('locale', '')
+    if request.preferences.get_value('locale') != '':
+        locale = request.preferences.get_value('locale')
 
     if 'locale' in request.args\
        and request.args['locale'] in settings['locales']:
@@ -248,7 +246,7 @@ def image_proxify(url):
     if url.startswith('//'):
         url = 'https:' + url
 
-    if not settings['server'].get('image_proxy') and not request.cookies.get('image_proxy'):
+    if not request.preferences.get_value('image_proxy'):
         return url
 
     hash_string = url + settings['server']['secret_key']
@@ -259,19 +257,18 @@ def image_proxify(url):
 
 
 def render(template_name, override_theme=None, **kwargs):
-    blocked_engines = request.preferences.engines.get_disabled()
-    autocomplete = request.preferences.get_value('autocomplete')
+    disabled_engines = request.preferences.engines.get_disabled()
 
-    nonblocked_categories = set(category for engine_name in engines
-                                for category in engines[engine_name].categories
-                                if (engine_name, category) not in blocked_engines)
+    enabled_categories = set(category for engine_name in engines
+                             for category in engines[engine_name].categories
+                             if (engine_name, category) not in disabled_engines)
 
     if 'categories' not in kwargs:
         kwargs['categories'] = ['general']
         kwargs['categories'].extend(x for x in
                                     sorted(categories.keys())
                                     if x != 'general'
-                                    and x in nonblocked_categories)
+                                    and x in enabled_categories)
 
     if 'all_categories' not in kwargs:
         kwargs['all_categories'] = ['general']
@@ -290,14 +287,13 @@ def render(template_name, override_theme=None, **kwargs):
     if not kwargs['selected_categories']:
         cookie_categories = request.preferences.get_value('categories')
         for ccateg in cookie_categories:
-            if ccateg in categories:
-                kwargs['selected_categories'].append(ccateg)
+            kwargs['selected_categories'].append(ccateg)
 
     if not kwargs['selected_categories']:
         kwargs['selected_categories'] = ['general']
 
     if 'autocomplete' not in kwargs:
-        kwargs['autocomplete'] = autocomplete
+        kwargs['autocomplete'] = request.preferences.get_value('autocomplete')
 
     if get_locale() in rtl_locales and 'rtl' not in kwargs:
         kwargs['rtl'] = True
@@ -483,10 +479,10 @@ def autocompleter():
         request_data = request.args
 
     # set blocked engines
-    blocked_engines = request.preferences.engines.get_disabled()
+    disabled_engines = request.preferences.engines.get_disabled()
 
     # parse query
-    query = Query(request_data.get('q', '').encode('utf-8'), blocked_engines)
+    query = Query(request_data.get('q', '').encode('utf-8'), disabled_engines)
     query.parse_query()
 
     # check if search query is set
@@ -502,7 +498,7 @@ def autocompleter():
     # normal autocompletion results only appear if max 3 inner results returned
     if len(raw_results) <= 3 and completer:
         # get language from cookie
-        language = request.cookies.get('language')
+        language = request.preferences.get_value('language')
         if not language or language == 'all':
             language = 'en'
         else:
@@ -544,7 +540,7 @@ def preferences():
     # render preferences
     image_proxy = request.preferences.get_value('image_proxy')
     lang = request.preferences.get_value('language')
-    blocked_engines = request.preferences.engines.get_disabled()
+    disabled_engines = request.preferences.engines.get_disabled()
     allowed_plugins = request.preferences.plugins.get_enabled()
 
     # stats for preferences page
@@ -572,7 +568,7 @@ def preferences():
                   language_codes=language_codes,
                   engines_by_category=categories,
                   stats=stats,
-                  blocked_engines=blocked_engines,
+                  disabled_engines=disabled_engines,
                   autocomplete_backends=autocomplete_backends,
                   shortcuts={y: x for x, y in engine_shortcuts.items()},
                   themes=themes,