"Comprehensive guide to .htaccess
Tutorial written and contributed by Feyd, moderator of the JK Forum, with additions by JavaScriptKit.com. Please see tutorial footnote for additional/bio info on author. Last updated: Jan 18th, 06' for additional section.
I am sure that most of you have heard of htaccess, if just vaguely, and that you may think you have a fair idea of what can be done with an htaccess file. You are more than likely mistaken about that, however. Regardless, even if you have never heard of htaccess and what it can do for you, the intention of this tutorial is to get you two moving along nicely together.
If you have heard of htaccess, chances are that it has been in relation to implementing custom error pages or password protected directories. But there is much more available to you through the marvelously simple .htaccess file."