Hundreds of hidden files in home directory
 

I have been downloading rpm's and installing them in my home directory. Selecting view /hidden files show hundreds of files in the home directory. Is this a problem? Can I move these files to a more suitable location and would this break applications I have installed?
Thanks for anyhelp.

those usually contain your application settings... you shouldn't 'break' anything by moving/removing, but you'll loose any configuration you've done...

question is: what would be more suitable a location? they're your user's settings...

and... whenever you run a given program, it'll just try to repopulate the hidden file/directory...

Thanks. I guess I will just leave things as they are

No, they are hidden for a reason, so they don't clutter up your /home dir. All they do is hold your config settings for a program that's related to the "dot file". If you delete that dot file it reappear when you launch the program again. ie. If you deleted the .mozilla file all your setting will be gone bookmarks, personal settings etc. When you launch mozilla again it'll create a new dot file in your /home dir with the default settings.