Widgets: set in Tools > Options whether widgets appear or not when you create a new project.
I really think that many default settings could be analyzed by the software team to see which ones the user could set as default!
This type of super configurability comes with problems. To begin with you will want to synchronise your preferences between computers, which we don't have a good solution for. It also adds makes tutorials, error finding and other things difficult because new projects created using different settings may look different.
I think the better solution is that you create a template project that suits your needs.
Thanks.
I suggest that templates can be fixed in the Welcome Window.
Maybe a Open Template... ?