mod_rewrite or php ?
 

which would ppl suggest to use? i have a gallery2 install (using mod_rewrtie) but some ppl have suggested to me that this is not safe, i know php has a simular (poss same function) and am wondering which should be used

You better ask at the programming section. Btw, what are you going to do? To write your own gallery script?

a few php based scripts use it to shorten down the length of the url - just wondered which to use