diff --git a/application.py b/application.py
index 43bf940..04b7c25 100755
--- a/application.py
+++ b/application.py
@@ -526,8 +526,11 @@ class Application(object):
 
     def run_external(self, *args):
         curses.reset_shell_mode()
-        pipe = Popen(args)
-        pipe.wait()
+        try:
+            pipe = Popen(args)
+            pipe.wait()
+        except OSError, e:
+            self.set_error("%s: %s" % (args[0], e))
         curses.reset_prog_mode()
         self.win.redrawwin()
         self.draw()
diff --git a/mode/html.py b/mode/html.py
index c35a62a..3ed52be 100644
--- a/mode/html.py
+++ b/mode/html.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import os
 import color, method, mode
 from lex import Grammar, PatternRule, RegionRule
 from mode.xml import TagGrammar
@@ -21,12 +22,16 @@ class HTML(mode.Fundamental):
     extensions = ['.html', '.htm', '.shtml', '.shtm', '.xhtml']
     grammar    = HTMLGrammar
     colors     = {}
+    config     = {
+        'html.viewcmd': 'jfirefox',
+    }
 
     def __init__(self, w):
         mode.Fundamental.__init__(self, w)
         self.add_bindings('close-paren', (')',))
         self.add_bindings('close-brace', ('}',))
         self.add_bindings('close-bracket', (']',))
+        self.add_action(HtmlViewPage())
         self.add_action(HtmlCheckSpelling())
 
 _colorbase = {
@@ -44,6 +49,24 @@ for _name in _colorbase:
     HTML.colors['style.%s' % _name]  = _colorbase[_name]
     HTML.colors['tag.%s' % _name]    = _colorbase[_name]
 
+
+class HtmlViewPage(method.Method):
+    '''Insert a pair of LaTeX-style single-quotes into the buffer'''
+    def _execute(self, w, **vargs):
+        viewcmd = w.application.config.get('html.viewcmd')
+        viewbg  = viewcmd.endswith('&')
+        if viewbg:
+            viewcmd = viewcmd[:-1]
+        argv = (viewcmd, w.buffer.path)
+        if viewbg:
+            if os.fork() == 0:
+                try:
+                    os.execvp(viewcmd, argv)
+                except OSError:
+                    os._exit(1)
+        else:
+            w.application.run_external(*argv)
+
 class HtmlCheckSpelling(method.Method):
     """Check the spelling of the document via ispell -t"""
     def _execute(self, w, **vargs):
diff --git a/mode/latex.py b/mode/latex.py
index 1bfe4b7..2f64f2b 100644
--- a/mode/latex.py
+++ b/mode/latex.py
@@ -28,6 +28,12 @@ class Latex(mode.Fundamental):
         'latex_string.end':    ('green', 'default', 'bold'),
         'latex_escaped':       ('magenta', 'default', 'bold'),
     }
+    config = {
+        'latex.buildcmd':    'latex',
+        'latex.pdfbuildcmd': 'pdflatex',
+        'latex.pdfviewcmd':  'evince',
+    }
+
     def __init__(self, w):
         mode.Fundamental.__init__(self, w)
         self.add_bindings('wrap-paragraph', ('M-q',))
@@ -44,12 +50,14 @@ class Latex(mode.Fundamental):
 
 class LatexBuild(method.Method):
     '''Insert a pair of LaTeX-style single-quotes into the buffer'''
-    buildcmd = 'latex'
+    def _getcmd(self, w):
+        return w.application.config.get('latex.buildcmd')
     def _build(self, w):
         if w.buffer.changed():
             return (True, 'Build Cancelled: unsaved buffer')
         app = w.application
-        cmd = "%s '\\batchmode\\input %s' >/dev/null 2>&1" % (self.buildcmd,
+        buildcmd = self._getcmd(w)
+        cmd = "%s '\\batchmode\\input %s' >/dev/null 2>&1" % (buildcmd,
                                                               w.buffer.path)
         status = os.system(cmd)
         if status == 0:
@@ -75,17 +83,18 @@ class LatexBuild(method.Method):
 
 class LatexBuildPdf(LatexBuild):
     '''Insert a pair of LaTeX-style single-quotes into the buffer'''
-    buildcmd = 'pdflatex'
+    def _getcmd(self, w):
+        return w.application.config.get('latex.pdfbuildcmd')
 class LatexViewPdf(LatexBuildPdf):
     '''Insert a pair of LaTeX-style single-quotes into the buffer'''
-    viewcmd = 'evince'
     def _execute(self, w, **vargs):
         ok = LatexBuildPdf._execute(self, w, **vargs)
         if ok:
+            viewcmd = w.application.config.get('latex.pdfviewcmd')
             pid = os.fork()
             if pid == 0:
                 pdfpath = self._modpath(w, '.pdf')
-                os.execvp(self.viewcmd, (self.viewcmd, pdfpath))
+                os.execvp(viewcmd, (viewcmd, pdfpath))
 
 class LatexCommentRegion(method.CommentRegion):
     commentc = '%'