diff -Nur osticket_1.6.rc2/upload/include/class.config.php osticket_1.6.rc2-patch8/upload/include/class.config.php
--- osticket_1.6.rc2/upload/include/class.config.php	2008-01-01 04:40:46.000000000 +0100
+++ osticket_1.6.rc2-patch8/upload/include/class.config.php	2008-01-24 13:26:55.000000000 +0100
@@ -200,6 +200,10 @@
     function useEmailPriority() {
         return $this->config['use_email_priority']?true:false;
     }
+    
+    function closeBoxChecked() {
+        return $this->config['close_box_checked']?true:false;
+    }
 
     function getNoReplyEmail(){
          return $this->config['noreply_email'];
@@ -418,6 +422,7 @@
             ',clickable_urls='.db_input(isset($var['clickable_urls'])?1:0).
             ',allow_priority_change='.db_input(isset($var['allow_priority_change'])?1:0).
             ',use_email_priority='.db_input(isset($var['use_email_priority'])?1:0).
+            ',close_box_checked='.db_input(isset($var['close_box_checked'])?1:0).
             ',enable_auto_cron='.db_input(isset($var['enable_auto_cron'])?1:0).
             ',enable_pop3_fetch='.db_input(isset($var['enable_pop3_fetch'])?1:0).
             ',enable_email_piping='.db_input(isset($var['enable_email_piping'])?1:0).
diff -Nur osticket_1.6.rc2/upload/include/staff/preference.inc.php osticket_1.6.rc2-patch8/upload/include/staff/preference.inc.php
--- osticket_1.6.rc2/upload/include/staff/preference.inc.php	2008-01-01 04:40:46.000000000 +0100
+++ osticket_1.6.rc2-patch8/upload/include/staff/preference.inc.php	2008-01-24 13:26:55.000000000 +0100
@@ -223,6 +223,12 @@
 
             </td>
         </tr>
+        <tr><th>Close Box Checked:</th>
+            <td>
+              <input type="checkbox" name="close_box_checked" <?=$config['close_box_checked']?'checked':''?>>
+                Close ticket box checked by default on ticket comment.
+            </td>
+        </tr>
     </table>
 
     <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=2 class="tform">
diff -Nur osticket_1.6.rc2/upload/include/staff/viewticket.inc.php osticket_1.6.rc2-patch8/upload/include/staff/viewticket.inc.php
--- osticket_1.6.rc2/upload/include/staff/viewticket.inc.php	2008-01-01 04:40:46.000000000 +0100
+++ osticket_1.6.rc2-patch8/upload/include/staff/viewticket.inc.php	2008-01-24 13:26:55.000000000 +0100
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@
                             //rememer previous selection...checked by default. 
                             //Why do I care about such crap..don't know...BUT i hate rentering stuff on error.
                             // Feel the same way? visit savekeyboards.org 
-                            $checked=(!$_POST || isset($info['ticket_status']))?'checked':'';
+                            $checked=((!$_POST && $cfg->closeBoxChecked()) || isset($info['ticket_status']))?'checked':'';
                             if($ticket->isOpen()){?>
                             <input type="checkbox" name="ticket_status" value="Close" <?=$checked?> > Close on Reply
                             <?}else{ ?>
diff -Nur osticket_1.6.rc2/upload/setup/osticket.sql osticket_1.6.rc2-patch8/upload/setup/osticket.sql
--- osticket_1.6.rc2/upload/setup/osticket.sql	2008-01-01 04:39:46.000000000 +0100
+++ osticket_1.6.rc2-patch8/upload/setup/osticket.sql	2008-01-24 13:26:55.000000000 +0100
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@
   api_key varchar(125) NOT NULL default '',
   ostversion varchar(16) NOT NULL default '',
   updated timestamp NOT NULL default CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
+  close_box_checked tinyint(1) unsigned NOT NULL default '1',
   PRIMARY KEY  (id),
   KEY isoffline (isonline)
 ) ENGINE=MyISAM;