--- a/src/pager.cc
+++ b/src/pager.cc
@@ -57,17 +57,42 @@
 // The diary file.
 static std::ofstream external_diary_file;
 
+static std::string
+default_pager (void)
+{
+  std::string pager_binary = octave_env::getenv ("PAGER");
+
+#ifdef OCTAVE_DEFAULT_PAGER
+  if (pager_binary.empty ())
+    {
+      pager_binary = std::string (OCTAVE_DEFAULT_PAGER);
+
+      if (pager_binary == "less")
+	{
+	  pager_binary.append (" -e");
+
+	  std::string lessflags = octave_env::getenv ("LESS");
+	  if (lessflags.empty ())
+	    pager_binary.append
+	      (" -X -P'-- less ?pB(%pB\\%):--. (f)orward, (b)ack, (q)uit$'");
+	}
+    }
+#endif
+
+  return pager_binary;
+}
+
 // The shell command to run as the pager.
-static std::string Vpager_binary;
+static std::string VPAGER = default_pager ();
 
 // TRUE means that if output is going to the pager, it is sent as soon
 // as it is available.  Otherwise, it is buffered and only sent to the
 // pager when it is time to print another prompt.
-static bool Vpage_output_immediately;
+static bool Vpage_output_immediately = false;
 
 // TRUE means all output intended for the screen should be passed
 // through the pager.
-static bool Vpage_screen_output;
+static bool Vpage_screen_output = true;
 
 static bool really_flush_to_pager = false;
 
@@ -126,7 +151,7 @@
 	{
 	  if (! external_pager)
 	    {
-	      std::string pgr = Vpager_binary;
+	      std::string pgr = VPAGER;
 
 	      if (! pgr.empty ())
 		{
@@ -485,19 +510,14 @@
       std::string arg = argv[1];
 
       if (arg == "on")
-	bind_builtin_variable ("page_screen_output", true);
+	Vpage_screen_output = true;
       else if (arg == "off")
-	bind_builtin_variable ("page_screen_output", false);
+	Vpage_screen_output = false;
       else
 	error ("more: unrecognized argument `%s'", arg.c_str ());
     }
   else if (argc == 1)
-    {
-      octave_value tmp = builtin_any_variable ("page_screen_output");
-
-      if (! error_state)
-	bind_builtin_variable ("page_screen_output", ! tmp.is_true ());
-    }
+    Vpage_screen_output = ! Vpage_screen_output;
   else
     print_usage ("more");
 
@@ -520,98 +540,46 @@
   return octave_value (size);
 }
 
-static std::string
-default_pager (void)
+DEFUN (page_output_immediately, args, nargout,
+  "-*- texinfo -*-\n\
+@deftypefn {Built-in Function} {@var{val} =} page_output_immediately ()\n\
+@deftypefnx {Built-in Function} {@var{val} =} page_output_immediately (@var{new_val})\n\
+Query or set the internal variable that controls whether Octave sends\n\
+output to the pager as soon as it is available.  Otherwise, Octave\n\
+buffers its output and waits until just before the prompt is printed to\n\
+flush it to the pager.\n\
+@end deftypefn")
 {
-  std::string pager_binary = octave_env::getenv ("PAGER");
-
-#ifdef OCTAVE_DEFAULT_PAGER
-  if (pager_binary.empty ())
-    {
-      pager_binary = std::string (OCTAVE_DEFAULT_PAGER);
-
-      if (pager_binary == "less")
-	{
-	  pager_binary.append (" -e");
-
-	  std::string lessflags = octave_env::getenv ("LESS");
-	  if (lessflags.empty ())
-	    pager_binary.append
-	      (" -X -P'-- less ?pB(%pB\\%):--. (f)orward, (b)ack, (q)uit$'");
-	}
-    }
-#endif
-
-  return pager_binary;
-}
-
-static int
-pager_binary (void)
-{
-  int status = 0;
-
-  std::string s = builtin_string_variable ("PAGER");
-
-  if (s.empty ())
-    {
-      gripe_invalid_value_specified ("PAGER");
-      status = -1;
-    }
-  else
-    Vpager_binary = s;
-
-  return status;
+  return SET_INTERNAL_VARIABLE (page_output_immediately);
 }
 
-static int
-page_output_immediately (void)
+DEFUN (page_screen_output, args, nargout,
+  "-*- texinfo -*-\n\
+@deftypefn {Built-in Function} {@var{val} =} page_screen_output ()\n\
+@deftypefnx {Built-in Function} {@var{old_val} =} page_screen_output (@var{new_val})\n\
+Query or set the internal variable that controls whether output intended\n\
+for the terminal window that is longer than one page is sent through a\n\
+pager.  This allows you to view one screenful at a time.  Some pagers\n\
+(such as @code{less}---see @ref{Installation}) are also capable of moving\n\
+backward on the output.\n\
+@end deftypefn")
 {
-  Vpage_output_immediately = check_preference ("page_output_immediately");
-
-  return 0;
+  return SET_INTERNAL_VARIABLE (page_screen_output);
 }
 
-static int
-page_screen_output (void)
-{
-  Vpage_screen_output = check_preference ("page_screen_output");
-
-  return 0;
-}
-
-void
-symbols_of_pager (void)
-{
-  DEFVAR (PAGER, default_pager (), pager_binary,
-    "-*- texinfo -*-\n\
-@defvr {Built-in Variable} PAGER\n\
-The default value is normally @code{\"less\"}, @code{\"more\"}, or\n\
+DEFUN (PAGER, args, nargout,
+  "-*- texinfo -*-\n\
+@deftypefn {Built-in Function} {@var{val} =} PAGER ()\n\
+@deftypefnx {Built-in Function} {@var{old_val} =} PAGER (@var{new_val})\n\
+Query or set the internal variable that specifies the program to use\n\
+to display terminal output on your system.  The default value is\n\
+normally @code{\"less\"}, @code{\"more\"}, or\n\
 @code{\"pg\"}, depending on what programs are installed on your system.\n\
 @xref{Installation}.\n\
-\n\
-When running interactively, Octave sends any output intended for your\n\
-terminal that is more than one screen long to the program named by the\n\
-value of the variable @code{PAGER}.\n\
-@end defvr");
-
-  DEFVAR (page_output_immediately, false, page_output_immediately,
-    "-*- texinfo -*-\n\
-@defvr {Built-in Variable} page_output_immediately\n\
-If the value of @code{page_output_immediately} is nonzero, Octave sends\n\
-output to the pager as soon as it is available.  Otherwise, Octave\n\
-buffers its output and waits until just before the prompt is printed to\n\
-flush it to the pager.  The default value is 0.\n\
-@end defvr");
-
-  DEFVAR (page_screen_output, true, page_screen_output,
-    "-*- texinfo -*-\n\
-@defvr {Built-in Variable} page_screen_output\n\
-If the value of @code{page_screen_output} is nonzero, all output\n\
-intended for the screen that is longer than one page is sent through a\n\
-pager.  This allows you to view one screenful at a time.  Some pagers\n\
-(such as @code{less}---see @ref{Installation}) are also capable of moving\n\
-backward on the output.  The default value is 1.\n\
-@end defvr");
+@seealso{page_screen_output, page_output_immediately}\n\
+@end deftypefn")
+{
+  return SET_NONEMPTY_INTERNAL_STRING_VARIABLE (PAGER);
 }
 
 /*