I would like to remove the tilde in the url line for each user of my
system. The server is a UNIX based Apache 2.x installation. I believe
this is possible with mod_rewrite but have not got the syntax down
completely to accomplish this. An example would be:
http://www.test.com/~user1 to http://www.test.com/user so that if
either url is input it is directed accordingly. I realize this is 
also possible with aliases, however, mod_rewrite seems like less over
head.

Check out the configuartion snippet on this page:

http://www.novell.com/coolsolutions/tip/15832.html

It will do the trick if you have mod_proxy as well and only a small
number of non-user directories.

Thanks for the suggestion, what I didn't get from that write up on
Novell's site is where do I stick their changes? I added them to the
bottom of my httpd.conf file and restarted etc.. Also, are they
asumming you are using a module that doesn't come witht he stock
Apache 2.x distribution?