I wonder if somebody could help get rid of those ~ (tildes) http://localhost/user/index.html

There may be several ways to do this (I guess). I don't know if there are any apache configurations that change the character used to signify 'home' or not, but ... One way that doesn't involve the apache configuration, would be to create directories in your apaches main webspace (usually /home/httpd/html) for each user, and set the permissions so that they are world readable but 'owned' by the appropriate user. That user would be the only person permitted to write to that directory. You could then create a symlink in each users home directory as follows (for example): $ ln -s /home/httpd/html/fred /home/fred/public_html so that the user can 'see' the directory in their home space, but apache 'sees' it under the directory name within its webspace. (you could probably do it the other way round to - ie symlink out of apaches space into the users - but there are more issues doing things this way, relating to security, etc) They won't get a cgi-bin doing it this way - but they will get web space. Just a thought ... Kevin.