Straightforward authentication?

Hi all: The few php/MySQL apps I've developed that required username/password access, have simply been a means of comparing usernames and hashes of passwords in a DB. My next application needs to be slightly more secure but nothing like the needs of protecting online banking or vulnerable private info. I have read several articles at phpbuilder.com and stuff at php.net, and frankly most of it seems to be overly contrived. I wonder wether some list members would be able to point me in the direction of code and/or tutorials that *explain* in English what they're doing and why. For example why they are storing an MD5() hash of something in a seperate file outside the web-server's doc-root etc etc. Once I have my head round the concepts I'll be posting my findings to a public location which list-members will be among the first to view. I thank y'all for any help you are able to give. Cheers Russ #-------------------------------------------------------# "Believe nothing - consider everything" Russ Michell Anglia Polytechnic University Webteam Room 1C 'The Eastings' East Road, Cambridge e: r.j.michell@apu.ac.uk w: www.apu.ac.uk/webteam t: +44 (0)1223 363271 x 2331 www.theruss.com #-------------------------------------------------------#