diff --git a/src/E.h b/src/E.h
index 7551685f..4cea25dd 100644
--- a/src/E.h
+++ b/src/E.h
@@ -1604,6 +1604,8 @@ void                EFont_draw_string(Display * disp, Drawable win, GC gc,
 
 void                ErrAlert(int erno);
 
+void                SetEDir(char *d);
+char               *UserEDir(void);
 void                EDisplayMemUse(void);
 int                 EExit(void *code);
 void                ShowEdgeWindows(void);
diff --git a/src/TODO b/src/TODO
index ad153c62..7ad4ac31 100644
--- a/src/TODO
+++ b/src/TODO
@@ -12,3 +12,5 @@ raster: add dnd to iconbox
 raster: icoify animation suport
 raster: changing virtual desktop size screws up pager content draws.
 raster: double "close sound" playing atthe moment - fix.
+raster: need to lock .enlightenment dir for multiple logins etc.
+
diff --git a/src/config.c b/src/config.c
index b9775159..e1bb2de6 100644
--- a/src/config.c
+++ b/src/config.c
@@ -3058,26 +3058,26 @@ OpenConfigFileForReading(char *path, char preprocess)
 		  "-D HOME_DIR=%s "
 		  "-D USER_SHELL=%s "
 		  "-D ENLIGHTENMENT_VERSION_015=1 "
-		  "%s %s/.enlightenment/cached/cfg/%s.preparsed",
+		  "%s %s/cached/cfg/%s.preparsed",
 		  epp_path, ENLIGHTENMENT_ROOT, ENLIGHTENMENT_ROOT,
 		  ENLIGHTENMENT_VERSION, ENLIGHTENMENT_ROOT, ENLIGHTENMENT_BIN,
 		  themepath,
 		  root.w, root.h, root.w, root.h, root.depth,
 		  def_user, def_home, def_shell,
-		  path, def_home, s);
+		  path, UserEDir(), s);
 	system(execline);
 	Esnprintf(execline, sizeof(execline),
-		  "%s/.enlightenment/cached/cfg/%s.preparsed",
-		  def_home, s);
+		  "%s/cached/cfg/%s.preparsed",
+		  UserEDir(), s);
 	fpin = fopen(execline, "r");
 	if (s)
 	   Efree(s);
 	if (def_user)
 	   Efree(def_user);
-	if (def_home)
-	   Efree(def_home);
 	if (def_shell)
 	   Efree(def_shell);
+	if (def_home)
+	   Efree(def_home);
 	EDBUG_RETURN(fpin);
      }
    else
@@ -3347,7 +3347,6 @@ char               *
 FindFile(char *file)
 {
    char                s[FILEPATH_LEN_MAX];
-   char               *home;
 
    EDBUG(6, "FindFile");
    /* if absolute path - and file exists - return it */
@@ -3357,9 +3356,7 @@ FindFile(char *file)
 	   EDBUG_RETURN(duplicate(file));
      }
    /* look in ~/.enlightenment first */
-   home = homedir(getuid());
-   Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/.enlightenment/%s", home, file);
-   Efree(home);
+   Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/%s", UserEDir(), file);
    if (isfile(s))
       EDBUG_RETURN(duplicate(s));
    /* look in theme dir */
@@ -3378,7 +3375,6 @@ char               *
 FindNoThemeFile(char *file)
 {
    char                s[FILEPATH_LEN_MAX];
-   char               *home;
 
    EDBUG(6, "FindFile");
    /* if absolute path - and file exists - return it */
@@ -3388,9 +3384,7 @@ FindNoThemeFile(char *file)
 	   EDBUG_RETURN(duplicate(file));
      }
    /* look in ~/.enlightenment first */
-   home = homedir(getuid());
-   Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/.enlightenment/%s", home, file);
-   Efree(home);
+   Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/%s", UserEDir(), file);
    if (isfile(s))
       EDBUG_RETURN(duplicate(s));
    /* look in system config dir */
@@ -3405,15 +3399,13 @@ int
 LoadEConfig(char *themelocation)
 {
    char                s[FILEPATH_LEN_MAX], ss[FILEPATH_LEN_MAX];
-   char               *theme, *home;
+   char               *theme;
    FILE               *f;
 
    EDBUG(5, "LoadEConfig");
-   home = NULL;
    mustdel = 0;
 
-   home = homedir(getuid());
-   Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/.enlightenment/", home);
+   Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/", UserEDir());
    Fnlib_add_dir(fd, s);
    Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/config/", ENLIGHTENMENT_ROOT);
    Fnlib_add_dir(fd, s);
@@ -3427,7 +3419,7 @@ LoadEConfig(char *themelocation)
 	     fprintf(f, "%s\n", themelocation);
 	     fclose(f);
 	  }
-	Esnprintf(ss, sizeof(ss), "%s/.enlightenment/user_theme.cfg", home);
+	Esnprintf(ss, sizeof(ss), "%s/user_theme.cfg", UserEDir());
 	rm(ss);
 	mv(s, ss);
 	if (!isfile(ss))
@@ -3468,8 +3460,6 @@ LoadEConfig(char *themelocation)
 	      "If you are the administrator of your own system please\n"
 	      "consult the documentation that came with Enlightenment for\n"
 	      "addional information.\n", ENLIGHTENMENT_ROOT);
-	if (home)
-	   Efree(home);
 	EDBUG_RETURN(0);
      }
    strcpy(themepath, theme);
@@ -3536,8 +3526,6 @@ LoadEConfig(char *themelocation)
    }
    if (theme)
       Efree(theme);
-   if (home)
-      Efree(home);
    themelocation = NULL;
    EDBUG_RETURN(0);
 }
diff --git a/src/file.c b/src/file.c
index 604f5025..7985f15d 100644
--- a/src/file.c
+++ b/src/file.c
@@ -18,15 +18,12 @@ FileExtension(char *file)
 void
 Etmp(char *s)
 {
-   static char        *home = NULL;
    static unsigned long n_calls = 0;
 
    EDBUG(9, "Etmp");
    if (!n_calls)
       n_calls = (unsigned long)time(NULL) + (unsigned long)getpid();
-   if (!home)
-      home = homedir(getuid());
-   Esnprintf(s, 1024, "%s/.enlightenment/TMP_%Xl", home, n_calls);
+   Esnprintf(s, 1024, "%s/TMP_%Xl", UserEDir(), n_calls);
    n_calls++;
    EDBUG_RETURN_
 }
diff --git a/src/iconify.c b/src/iconify.c
index 759de309..302a1d28 100644
--- a/src/iconify.c
+++ b/src/iconify.c
@@ -774,12 +774,10 @@ void
 IB_SaveIcodefs(void)
 {
    /* save the icondefs */
-   char                s[1024], *home;
+   char                s[1024];
    FILE               *f;
 
-   home = homedir(getuid());
-   Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/.enlightenment/icondefs.cfg", home);
-   Efree(home);
+   Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/icondefs.cfg", UserEDir());
    f = fopen(s, "w");
    if (f)
      {
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 48485e66..4cf50db0 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -64,6 +64,10 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	     {
 		Esnprintf(themepath, sizeof(themepath), "%s", argv[++j]);
 	     }
+	   else if ((!strcmp("-econfdir", argv[j])) && (argc - j > 1))
+	     {
+		SetEDir(argv[++j]);
+	     }
 	   else if (!strcmp("-single", argv[j]))
 	     {
 		single_screen_mode = 1;
@@ -92,6 +96,18 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	     {
 		no_overwrite = 1;
 	     }
+	   else if (!strcmp("-help", argv[j]))
+	     {
+		printf("enlightenment options:                      \n"
+		       "\t-theme /path/to/theme                     \n"
+		       "\t-econfdir /path/to/.enlightenment/conf/dir\n"
+		       "\t[-smid | -clientId | --sm-client-id] id   \n"
+		       "\t-smfile file                              \n"
+		       "\t-ext_init_win window_id                   \n"
+		       "\t-no_overwrite                             \n"
+		       "\t[-v | -version | --version]               \n");
+		exit(0);
+	     }
 	   else if ((!strcmp("-v", argv[j])) ||
 		    (!strcmp("-version", argv[j])) ||
 		    (!strcmp("--version", argv[j])) ||
diff --git a/src/menus.c b/src/menus.c
index fb65a0af..4c8789e5 100644
--- a/src/menus.c
+++ b/src/menus.c
@@ -938,7 +938,6 @@ CreateMenuFromDirectory(char *name, MenuStyle * ms, char *dir)
    struct stat         st;
    const char         *chmap =
    "0123456789abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ-_";
-   char               *dhome = NULL;
    FILE               *f;
 
    EDBUG(5, "CreateMenuFromDirectory");
@@ -949,7 +948,6 @@ CreateMenuFromDirectory(char *name, MenuStyle * ms, char *dir)
      {
 	int                 aa, bb, cc;
 
-	dhome = homedir(getuid());
 	aa = (int)st.st_ino;
 	bb = (int)st.st_dev;
 	cc = 0;
@@ -958,8 +956,8 @@ CreateMenuFromDirectory(char *name, MenuStyle * ms, char *dir)
 	else
 	   cc = st.st_ctime;
 	Esnprintf(cs, sizeof(cs),
-	 "%s/.enlightenment/cached/img/.%c%c%c%c%c%c%c%c%c%c%c%c%c%c%c%c%c%c",
-		  dhome,
+	 "%s/cached/img/.%c%c%c%c%c%c%c%c%c%c%c%c%c%c%c%c%c%c",
+		  UserEDir(),
 		  chmap[(aa >> 0) & 0x3f],
 		  chmap[(aa >> 6) & 0x3f],
 		  chmap[(aa >> 12) & 0x3f],
@@ -978,7 +976,6 @@ CreateMenuFromDirectory(char *name, MenuStyle * ms, char *dir)
 		  chmap[(cc >> 18) & 0x3f],
 		  chmap[(cc >> 24) & 0x3f],
 		  chmap[(cc >> 28) & 0x3f]);
-	Efree(dhome);
 	/* cached dir listing - use it */
 	if (exists(cs))
 	  {
@@ -992,7 +989,6 @@ CreateMenuFromDirectory(char *name, MenuStyle * ms, char *dir)
 		    {
 		       Background         *bg;
 		       char                ok = 1;
-		       static char        *home = NULL;
 		       char                s2[4096], s3[512];
 
 		       word(s, 3, s3);
@@ -1016,9 +1012,7 @@ CreateMenuFromDirectory(char *name, MenuStyle * ms, char *dir)
 				 int                 maxw = 48, maxh = 48;
 				 int                 justx = 512, justy = 512;
 
-				 if (!home)
-				    home = homedir(getuid());
-				 Esnprintf(s2, sizeof(s2), "%s/.enlightenment/cached/img/%s", home, s3);
+				 Esnprintf(s2, sizeof(s2), "%s/cached/img/%s", UserEDir(), s3);
 				 width = im->rgb_width;
 				 height = im->rgb_height;
 				 h2 = maxh;
@@ -1188,7 +1182,6 @@ CreateMenuFromDirectory(char *name, MenuStyle * ms, char *dir)
 	       {
 		  Background         *bg;
 		  char                ok = 1;
-		  static char        *home = NULL;
 		  char                s2[4096], s3[512];
 		  int                 aa, bb, cc;
 
@@ -1235,9 +1228,7 @@ CreateMenuFromDirectory(char *name, MenuStyle * ms, char *dir)
 			    int                 scr_asp, im_asp, w2, h2;
 			    int                 maxw = 48, maxh = 48;
 
-			    if (!home)
-			       home = homedir(getuid());
-			    Esnprintf(s2, sizeof(s2), "%s/.enlightenment/cached/img/%s", home, s3);
+			    Esnprintf(s2, sizeof(s2), "%s/cached/img/%s", UserEDir(), s3);
 			    width = im->rgb_width;
 			    height = im->rgb_height;
 			    h2 = maxh;
diff --git a/src/misc.c b/src/misc.c
index 4771a1ae..98af3c5f 100644
--- a/src/misc.c
+++ b/src/misc.c
@@ -2,6 +2,31 @@
 
 void                EdgeTimeout(int val, void *data);
 
+static char *dir = NULL;
+
+void
+SetEDir(char *d)
+{
+   dir = duplicate(d);
+}
+
+char *
+UserEDir(void)
+{
+   if (dir)
+      return dir;
+
+     {
+	char *home, buf[4096];
+	
+	home = homedir(getuid());
+	Esnprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "%s/.enlightenment", home);
+	Efree(home);
+	dir = duplicate(buf);
+     }
+   return dir;
+}
+
 int
 EExit(void *code)
 {
diff --git a/src/pager.c b/src/pager.c
index 2b6d8249..799963b9 100644
--- a/src/pager.c
+++ b/src/pager.c
@@ -907,16 +907,14 @@ PagerRedraw(Pager * p, char newbg)
 	     if (desks.desk[p->desktop].bg)
 	       {
 		  char                s[4096];
-		  char               *home, *uniq;
+		  char               *uniq;
 		  ImlibImage         *im;
 
-		  home = homedir(getuid());
 		  uniq = GetUniqueBGString(desks.desk[p->desktop].bg);
 		  Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s),
-			    "%s/.enlightenment/cached/pager/%s.%i.%i.%s",
-			    home, desks.desk[p->desktop].bg->name, (p->w / ax),
+			    "%s/cached/pager/%s.%i.%i.%s",
+			    UserEDir(), desks.desk[p->desktop].bg->name, (p->w / ax),
 			    (p->h / ay), uniq);
-		  Efree(home);
 		  Efree(uniq);
 
 		  im = Imlib_load_image(id, s);
diff --git a/src/session.c b/src/session.c
index 9465ef54..fa4637d5 100644
--- a/src/session.c
+++ b/src/session.c
@@ -98,11 +98,8 @@ default_save_prefix(void)
    if (!def_prefix)
      {
 	char                s[1024];
-	char               *home;
 
-	home = homedir(getuid());
-	Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/.enlightenment/...e_session-XXXXXX", home);
-	Efree(home);
+	Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/...e_session-XXXXXX", UserEDir());
 	def_prefix = duplicate(s);
      }
    return def_prefix;
diff --git a/src/settings.c b/src/settings.c
index de446f5b..6b682e5d 100644
--- a/src/settings.c
+++ b/src/settings.c
@@ -1797,13 +1797,11 @@ CB_ConfigureBG(int val, void *data)
 	       }
 	  }
 	{
-	   char               *home, s[4096];
+	   char                s[4096];
 	   ImlibImage         *im;
 	   Pixmap              p2;
 
-	   home = homedir(getuid());
-	   Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/.enlightenment/cached/bgsel/%s", home, tmp_bg->name);
-	   Efree(home);
+	   Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/cached/bgsel/%s", UserEDir(), tmp_bg->name);
 	   p2 = ECreatePixmap(disp, root.win, 64, 48, root.depth);
 	   SetBackgroundTo(id, p2, tmp_bg, 0);
 	   im = Imlib_create_image_from_drawable(id, p2, 0, 0, 0, 64, 48);
@@ -2185,11 +2183,7 @@ BG_RedrawView(char nuke_old)
 		  im = ELoadImage(s);
 		  if (!im)
 		    {
-		       char               *home;
-
-		       home = homedir(getuid());
-		       Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/.enlightenment/cached/bgsel/%s", home, bglist[i]->name);
-		       Efree(home);
+		       Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/cached/bgsel/%s", UserEDir(), bglist[i]->name);
 		       p2 = ECreatePixmap(disp, pmap, 64, 48, root.depth);
 		       SetBackgroundTo(id, p2, bglist[i], 0);
 		       XCopyArea(disp, p2, pmap, gc, 0, 0, 64, 48, x + 4, 4);
diff --git a/src/setup.c b/src/setup.c
index 0cac9d3b..55b09aae 100644
--- a/src/setup.c
+++ b/src/setup.c
@@ -565,50 +565,42 @@ SetupX()
 void
 SetupDirs()
 {
-   char               *home;
    char                s[1024], ss[1024];
 
    EDBUG(6, "SetupDirs");
-   home = homedir(getuid());
-   Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/.enlightenment", home);
+   Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s", UserEDir());
    if (exists(s))
      {
 	if (isfile(s))
 	  {
-	     Esnprintf(ss, sizeof(ss), "%s/.enlightenment.old", home);
+	     Esnprintf(ss, sizeof(ss), "%s.old", UserEDir());
 	     mv(s, ss);
 	     md(s);
 	  }
      }
    else
       md(s);
-
-   Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/.enlightenment/themes", home);
+   Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/themes", UserEDir());
    if (!exists(s))
       md(s);
-
-   Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/.enlightenment/cached", home);
+   Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/backgrounds", UserEDir());
+   if (!exists(s))
+      md(s);   
+   Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/cached", UserEDir());
    if (!exists(s))
       md(s);
-
-   Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/.enlightenment/cached/img", home);
+   Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/cached/img", UserEDir());
    if (!exists(s))
       md(s);
-
-   Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/.enlightenment/cached/cfg", home);
+   Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/cached/cfg", UserEDir());
    if (!exists(s))
       md(s);
-
-   Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/.enlightenment/cached/bgsel", home);
+   Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/cached/bgsel", UserEDir());
    if (!exists(s))
       md(s);
-
-   Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/.enlightenment/cached/pager", home);
+   Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/cached/pager", UserEDir());
    if (!exists(s))
       md(s);
-
-   Efree(home);
-
    EDBUG_RETURN_;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/theme.c b/src/theme.c
index 2ab53f5f..bea5da2d 100644
--- a/src/theme.c
+++ b/src/theme.c
@@ -69,13 +69,11 @@ append_merge_dir(char *dir, char ***list, int *count)
 char              **
 ListThemes(int *number)
 {
-   char                s[FILEPATH_LEN_MAX], **list = NULL, *home, *def = NULL,
+   char                s[FILEPATH_LEN_MAX], **list = NULL, *def = NULL,
                       *def2 = NULL;
    int                 count = 0;
 
-   home = homedir(getuid());
-   Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/.enlightenment/themes", home);
-   Efree(home);
+   Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/themes", UserEDir());
    def = append_merge_dir(s, &list, &count);
    Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/themes", ENLIGHTENMENT_ROOT);
    def2 = append_merge_dir(s, &list, &count);
@@ -96,12 +94,11 @@ ListThemes(int *number)
 char               *
 GetDefaultTheme(void)
 {
-   char                s[FILEPATH_LEN_MAX], ss[FILEPATH_LEN_MAX], *home;
+   char                s[FILEPATH_LEN_MAX], ss[FILEPATH_LEN_MAX];
    char               *def = NULL;
    int                 count;
 
-   home = homedir(getuid());
-   Esnprintf(ss, sizeof(ss), "%s/.enlightenment/themes/DEFAULT", home);
+   Esnprintf(ss, sizeof(ss), "%s/themes/DEFAULT", UserEDir());
    count = readlink(ss, s, sizeof(s));
    if ((exists(ss)) && (count > 0))
      {
@@ -110,11 +107,10 @@ GetDefaultTheme(void)
 	   def = duplicate(s);
 	else
 	  {
-	     Esnprintf(ss, sizeof(ss), "%s/.enlightenment/themes/%s", home, s);
+	     Esnprintf(ss, sizeof(ss), "%s/themes/%s", UserEDir(), s);
 	     def = duplicate(ss);
 	  }
      }
-   Efree(home);
    if (!def)
      {
 	Esnprintf(ss, sizeof(ss), "%s/themes/DEFAULT", ENLIGHTENMENT_ROOT);
@@ -137,11 +133,9 @@ GetDefaultTheme(void)
 void
 SetDefaultTheme(char *theme)
 {
-   char                ss[FILEPATH_LEN_MAX], *home;
+   char                ss[FILEPATH_LEN_MAX];
 
-   home = homedir(getuid());
-   Esnprintf(ss, sizeof(ss), "%s/.enlightenment/themes/DEFAULT", home);
-   Efree(home);
+   Esnprintf(ss, sizeof(ss), "%s/themes/DEFAULT", UserEDir());
    if (exists(ss))
       rm(ss);
    if (theme)
@@ -176,17 +170,15 @@ ExtractTheme(char *theme)
 	f = fopen(theme, "r");
 	if (f)
 	  {
-	     char               *home, *themename;
+	     char               *themename;
 
 	     fread(buf, 1, 320, f);
 	     fclose(f);
 	     /* make the temp dir */
 
-	     home = homedir(getuid());
 	     themename = fileof(theme);
-	     Esnprintf(th, sizeof(th), "%s/.enlightenment/themes/%s",
-		       home, themename);
-	     Efree(home);
+	     Esnprintf(th, sizeof(th), "%s/themes/%s",
+		       UserEDir(), themename);
 	     Efree(themename);
 	     md(th);
 	     /* check magic numbers */
@@ -227,7 +219,7 @@ char               *
 FindTheme(char *theme)
 {
    char                s[FILEPATH_LEN_MAX];
-   char               *home, *ret = NULL;
+   char               *ret = NULL;
 
    EDBUG(6, "FindTheme");
    if (!theme[0])
@@ -239,9 +231,7 @@ FindTheme(char *theme)
       ret = ExtractTheme(theme);
    if (!ret)
      {
-	home = homedir(getuid());
-	Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/.enlightenment/themes/%s", home, theme);
-	Efree(home);
+	Esnprintf(s, sizeof(s), "%s/themes/%s", UserEDir(), theme);
 	if (exists(s))
 	   ret = ExtractTheme(s);
 	if (!ret)