strange Mac OS problem i can't figure out

[incognegro]

OK, this is definitely account related on my MacBook Pro.
10.4.11

In multiple applications, I see a blue highlight around some buttons, not the pulsing blue of the default, but around other choices.

Example: Press the power button and the 4 button panel pops up: "Restart, Sleep, Cancel, Shut Down." Shut down is default/pulsing blue. Restart has a blue outline, which will move to the next button if I tap the TAB key.

Example 2: In Firefox 2.0.0.x, tabbing takes me to every link on the page, instead of just to the major fields.

In another user account, this behavior is not observed.

I've checked the System Prefs under Keyboard/Mouse, Universal Access, and others, and I can't find the setting. It happens in other apps, too, so it's not application-specific.

Any ideas what to look at next? I have 600 items in my ~/Library/Prefs folder, so I don't want to do the half/sort method to narrow it down. I have tried Googling a solution, too.

If I need to post screen shots, I will.

[ho'ard]

Any drivers installed only for that user, related to peripherals, e.g. mouseworks?

[Drew]

In System prefs look at the bottom pane titled "Other". Are there extras installed there in one usef but not the other?

[space-time]

system preferences -> Keyboard and Mouse.

Look at keyboard shortcuts

scroll down to keyboard navigation. Turn in ON (it should be already on)

at the bottom of window, there is "Full keyboard access"

You have it set on "All Controls". Change it to "Text boxes and lists only"

[incognegro]

space-time got it - it was the bottom of the Keyboard & mouse window.

i was looking at the checkboxes in the window above, and didn't see that!

[ho'ard]

[quote space-time]system preferences -> Keyboard and Mouse.

Look at keyboard shortcuts

scroll down to keyboard navigation. Turn in ON (it should be already on)

at the bottom of window, there is "Full keyboard access"

You have it set on "All Controls". Change it to "Text boxes and lists only"
Good work!