Here's my current UNIX screen config. Since I'm sharing parts of my config with other people I'm sourcing a user-specific file at the end of the first config file: that's my .screenrc [[!format txt """ screen 0 zsh defutf8 on deflogin off startup_message off vbell on nethack on bell_msg 'Bell in %n' altscreen off termcapinfo xterm*|linux*|rxvt*|Eterm* OP defscrollback 1000 shell zsh sorendition 10 99 # default! #idle 600 eval "screen cmatrix -o -f -u 9 -C red -s" "idle 0" #caption always "%{w$SCREEN_CAPTION_COLOR}%?%-Lw%?%{kW}%n*%f %t%?(%u)%?%{w$SCREEN_CAPTION_COLOR}%?%+Lw" ################################### Alex source ./screenrc-$USER """]] And that's the second part of the config which is user-specific: [[!format txt """ autodetach on defscrollback 5000 # Set messages timeout msgwait 2 activity "Activity in %n (%t) [%w:%s]~" bell_msg "Trouble in %n!" vbell_msg "Beep Beep ..." pow_detach_msg "BYE" # Ctrl-PageUp/Down or Alt-PageUp/Down or Alt-left/right bindkey ^[[5;5~ prev bindkey ^[[6;5~ next bindkey ^[[5;3~ prev bindkey ^[[6;3~ next bindkey ^[[1;3D prev bindkey ^[[1;3C next #scrolling termcapinfo xterm* ti@:te@ multiuser on # allow the following people full control # addacl unki, lefant #aclchg aledesma +rwx "#?" # show a window list at the bottom of the hardstatus alwayslastline # not so beauty #hardstatus string '%{= mK}%-Lw%{= KW}%50>%n%f* %t%{= mK}%+Lw%< %{= kG}%-=%D %d %M %Y %c:%s%{-}' # nice one with clock, but causes much traffic (seconds) #hardstatus string '%{= kG}%-Lw%{= kW}%50> %n%f* %t%{= kG}%+Lw%< %{= kG}%-=%c:%s%{-}' # looks quite good - my fav hardstatus string '%{gk}[ %{G}%H %{g}][%= %{wk}%?%-Lw%?%{=b kR}(%{W}%n*%f %t%?(%u)%?%{=b kR})%{= kw}%?%+Lw%?%?%= %{g}][%{Y}%l%{g}]%{=b C}[ %c ]%{W}' # get info at # http://www.delorie.com/gnu/docs/screen/screen_toc.html # http://gentoo-wiki.com/TIP_Using_screen """]] If you want you can also put the entire config into one file....