diff --git a/start-extended-web-server b/start-extended-web-server
index dd48ff5..97b33f1 100755
--- a/start-extended-web-server
+++ b/start-extended-web-server
@@ -15,14 +15,18 @@ exec scsh -lel SSAX-4.9/load.scm -lel sunet-2.1/load.scm -dm -o http-test -e mai
 	httpd-info-gateway
 	let-opt
         scsh             
-        scheme)          
-                         
+        scheme
+	srfi-37)
+
   (begin
     
     (define (usage)
       (format #f 
-"Usage: start-extended-web-server [-h htdocs-dir] [-c cgi-bin-dir] [-p port]
-                                 [-l log-file-name] [-r requests] [--help]
+"Usage: start-extended-web-server 
+             [-h DIR | --htdocs-dir=DIR] [-c DIR | --cgi-bin-dir=DIR ]
+             [-l FILE | --log-file-name=FILE] [-r NUM | --requests=NUM]
+             [-p NUM | --port=NUM] 
+             [--help]
 
  with
  htdocs-dir     directory of html files (default: web-server/root/htdocs)
@@ -32,96 +36,97 @@ exec scsh -lel SSAX-4.9/load.scm -lel sunet-2.1/load.scm -dm -o http-test -e mai
                  (default: web-server/httpd.log)
  requests       maximal amount of simultaneous requests (default 5)
  --help         show this help
-"
-	      ))
+"))
 
-    (define htdocs-dir #f)
-    (define cgi-bin-dir #f)
-    (define port #f)
-    (define log-file-name #f)
-    (define root #f)
-    (define simultaneous-requests #f)
+    (define (display-usage)
+      (display (usage) (current-error-port))
+      (exit 1))
 
-    (define (init)
-      (set! htdocs-dir "root/htdocs")
-      (set! cgi-bin-dir "root/cgi-bin")
-      (set! port "8080")
-      (set! log-file-name "httpd.log")
-      (set! root "root")
-      (set! simultaneous-requests "5"))
+    (define default-options
+      `((htdocs-dir	. ,(absolute-file-name "web-server/root/htdocs"))
+	(cgi-bin-dir	. ,(absolute-file-name "web-server/root/cgi-bin"))
+	(port		. 8080)
+	(log-file-name	. ,(absolute-file-name "web-server/httpd.log"))
+	(requests	. 5)))
 
-    (define get-options
-      (let* ((unknown-option-error
-	      (lambda (option)
-		(format (error-output-port)
-			"unknown option `~A'~%try `start-web-server --help'~%"
-			option)
-		(exit 1)))
-	     (missing-argument-error
-	      (lambda (option)
-		(format (error-output-port)
-			"option `~A' requires an argument~%try `start-web-server --help'~%"
-			option)
-		(exit 1))))
-	(lambda (options)
-	  (let loop ((options options))
-	    (if (null? options)
-		(begin
-		  (set! htdocs-dir (absolute-file-name htdocs-dir))
-		  (set! log-file-name (absolute-file-name log-file-name))
-		  (set! cgi-bin-dir (absolute-file-name cgi-bin-dir))
-		  (set! port (string->number port))
-		  (set! simultaneous-requests (string->number simultaneous-requests)))
-		(cond
-		 ((string=? (car options) "-h")
-		  (if (null? (cdr options))
-		    (missing-argument-error (car options))
-		    (set! htdocs-dir (cadr options)))
-		  (loop (cddr options)))
-		 ((string=? (car options) "-c")
-		  (if (null? (cdr options))
-		    (missing-argument-error (car options))
-		    (set! cgi-bin-dir (cadr options)))
-		  (loop (cddr options)))
-		 ((string=? (car options) "-p")
-		  (if (null? (cdr options))
-		    (missing-argument-error (car options))
-		    (set! port (cadr options)))
-		  (loop (cddr options)))
-		 ((string=? (car options) "-l")
-		  (if (null? (cdr options))
-		    (missing-argument-error (car options))
-		    (set! log-file-name (cadr options)))
-		  (loop (cddr options)))
-		 ((string=? (car options) "-r")
-		  (if (null? (cdr options))
-		      (missing-argument-error (car options))
-		      (set! simultaneous-requests (cadr options)))
-		  (loop (cddr options)))
-		 ((string=? (car options) "--help")
-		  (display (usage))
-		  (exit 0))
-		 ((string=? (car options) "--dump")
-		  (let ((image-name (if (null? (cdr options))
-					"server"
-					(cadr options))))
-		    (dump-scsh-program main image-name))
-		  (exit 0))
-		 (else
-		  (unknown-option-error (car options)))))))))
+    (define (raise-usage-error msg . info)
+      (display msg (current-error-port))
+      (for-each 
+       (lambda (i)
+	 (display i (current-error-port))
+	 (display " " (current-error-port)))
+       info)
+      (display "\n" (current-error-port))
+      (exit 1))
+
+    (define (parse-arguments arg-list)
+      (let ((number-option-proc
+	     (lambda (alist-key)
+	       (lambda (option name arg ops)
+		 (cond 
+		  ((not arg)
+		   (raise-usage-error "Option requires a number" name arg))
+		  ((string->number arg)
+		   => (lambda (n) (cons (cons alist-key n) ops)))
+		  (else
+		   (raise-usage-error "Not a number" arg))))))
+	    (absolute-file-name-proc
+	     (lambda (alist-key)
+	       (lambda (option name arg ops)
+		 (cons (cons alist-key
+			     (absolute-file-name arg)) ops)))))
+	
+	(let ((htdocs-dir-option
+	       (option '(#\h "htdocs-dir") #t #f
+		       (absolute-file-name-proc 'htdocs-dir)))
+	      (cgi-bin-dir-option
+	       (option '(#\c "cgi-bin-dir") #t #f
+		       (absolute-file-name-proc 'cgi-bin-dir)))
+	      (port-option
+	       (option '(#\p "port") #t #f
+		       (number-option-proc 'port)))
+	      (log-file-name-option
+	       (option '(#\l "log-file-name") #t #f
+		       (absolute-file-name-proc 'log-file-name)))
+	      (requests-option
+	       (option '(#\r "requests") #t #f
+		       (number-option-proc 'requests)))
+	      (help-option
+	       (option '(#f "help") #f #f
+		       (lambda (option name arg ops)
+			 (display-usage)))))
+	  (args-fold arg-list
+		     (list htdocs-dir-option cgi-bin-dir-option
+			   port-option log-file-name-option
+			   requests-option help-option)
+		     (lambda (op name arg ops)
+		       (raise-usage-error
+			"Unknown command line argument: " name))
+		     cons 
+		     '()))))
+
+    (define (make-options-from-args cmd-line-args)
+      (let ((given (parse-arguments cmd-line-args)))
+	(map (lambda (p)
+	       (or (assoc (car p) given) p))
+	     default-options)))
+
+    (define (lookup-option alist option)
+      (cond 
+       ((assoc option alist)
+	=> cdr)
+       (else
+	(error "Internal error, option not found" option alist))))
 
-    
     (define (main args)
       (with-cwd 
-       (file-name-directory (car (command-line)))
-       (init)
-       (format #t "reading options: ~s~%" (cdr args))
-       (get-options (cdr args))
-       (cond ((zero? (user-uid))
-              (set-gid (->gid "nobody"))
-              (set-uid (->uid "nobody"))))
+	  (file-name-directory (car (command-line)))
+	(let ((options (make-options-from-args (cdr args))))
+	  (cond ((zero? (user-uid))
+		 (set-gid (->gid "nobody"))
+		 (set-uid (->uid "nobody"))))
 
-       (format #t "Going to run Webserver with:
+	  (format #t "Going to run Webserver with:
  htdocs-dir:    ~a
  cgi-bin-dir:   ~a
  port:          ~a
@@ -129,34 +134,36 @@ exec scsh -lel SSAX-4.9/load.scm -lel sunet-2.1/load.scm -dm -o http-test -e mai
  a maximum of ~a simultaneous requests, syslogging activated, 
  and home-dir-handler (public_html) activated.
 "
-               htdocs-dir
-               cgi-bin-dir
-               port
-               log-file-name
-               simultaneous-requests)
+		  (lookup-option options 'htdocs-dir)
+		  (lookup-option options 'cgi-bin-dir)
+		  (lookup-option options 'port)
+		  (lookup-option options 'log-file-name)
+		  (lookup-option options 'requests))
 
-       (httpd (make-httpd-options
-               with-port			port 
-               with-root-directory	(cwd)
-               with-simultaneous-requests simultaneous-requests
-               with-syslog?		#t
-               with-log-file		log-file-name
-               with-request-handler 
-               (alist-path-dispatcher
-                (list (cons "h" (home-dir-handler "public_html"))
-                      (cons "seval" seval-handler) 
-                      ;; You may want to adapt this to your site.
-                      (cons "man" (rman-handler 'man
-                                                'nroff
-                                                "/usr/bin/rman"
-                                                "/usr/bin/zcat"
-                                                #f "man?%s(%s)" 
-                                                "Generated by rman-gateway"))
-                      (cons "info" (info-handler #f #f #f
-                                                 "Generated by info-gateway"))
-                      (cons "cgi-bin" (cgi-handler cgi-bin-dir)))
-                (rooted-file-or-directory-handler htdocs-dir))))))
-))
+	  (httpd (make-httpd-options
+		  with-port			(lookup-option options 'port)
+		  with-root-directory		(cwd)
+		  with-simultaneous-requests	(lookup-option options 'requests)
+		  with-syslog?			#t
+		  with-log-file			(lookup-option options 'log-file-name)
+		  with-request-handler 
+		  (alist-path-dispatcher
+		   (list (cons "h" (home-dir-handler "public_html"))
+			 (cons "seval" seval-handler) 
+			 ;; You may want to adapt this to your site.
+			 (cons "man" (rman-handler 'man
+						   'nroff
+						   "/usr/bin/rman"
+						   "/usr/bin/zcat"
+						   #f "man?%s(%s)" 
+						   "Generated by rman-gateway"))
+			 (cons "info" (info-handler #f #f #f
+						    "Generated by info-gateway"))
+			 (cons "cgi-bin" (cgi-handler 
+					  (lookup-option options 'cgi-bin-dir))))
+		   (rooted-file-or-directory-handler 
+		    (lookup-option options 'htdocs-dir))))))))
+      ))
 
 ;; EOF
 
diff --git a/start-web-server b/start-web-server
index d2407d9..4f53c15 100755
--- a/start-web-server
+++ b/start-web-server
@@ -11,92 +11,108 @@ exec scsh -lel SSAX-4.9/load.scm -lel sunet-2.1/load.scm -dm -o http-test -e mai
 	httpd-file-directory-handlers
 	httpd-cgi-handlers
 	httpd-seval-handlers
-        scheme-with-scsh)          
+        scheme-with-scsh
+	srfi-37)
                          
   (begin
     
     (define (usage)
       (format #f 
-"Usage: start-web-server [-h htdocs-dir] [-c cgi-bin-dir] [-p port]
-                        [-l log-file-name] [--help]
+"Usage: start-web-server 
+	     [-h DIR | --htdocs-dir=DIR] [-c DIR | --cgi-bin-dir=DIR]
+	     [-l FILE | --log-file-name=FILE] [-r NUM | --requests=NUM]
+	     [-p NUM | --port=NUM]
+	     [--help]
 
  with
  htdocs-dir     directory of html files (default: web-server/root/htdocs)
  cgi-bin-dir    directory of cgi files  (default: web-server/root/cgi-bin)
  port           port server is listening to (default: 8080)
  log-file-name  directory where to store the logfile in CLF
-                 (default: web-server/httpd.log)
+                (default: web-server/httpd.log)
  --help         show this help
-"
-	      ))
+"))
 
-    (define htdocs-dir #f)
-    (define cgi-bin-dir #f)
-    (define port #f)
-    (define log-file-name #f)
-    (define root #f)
+    (define (display-usage)
+      (display (usage) (current-error-port))
+      (exit 1))
 
-    (define (init)
-      (set! htdocs-dir "root/htdocs")
-      (set! cgi-bin-dir "root/cgi-bin")
-      (set! port "8080")
-      (set! log-file-name "httpd.log")
-      (set! root "root"))
+    (define default-options
+      `((htdocs-dir	. ,(absolute-file-name "web-server/root/htdocs"))
+	(cgi-bin-dir	. ,(absolute-file-name "web-server/root/cgi-bin"))
+	(port		. 8080)
+	(log-file-name	. ,(absolute-file-name "web-server/httpd.log"))
+	(requests	. 5)))
 
-    (define get-options
-      (let* ((unknown-option-error
-	      (lambda (option)
-		(format (error-output-port)
-			"unknown option `~A'~%try `start-web-server --help'~%"
-			option)
-		(exit 1)))
-	     (missing-argument-error
-	      (lambda (option)
-		(format (error-output-port)
-			"option `~A' requires an argument~%try `start-web-server --help'~%"
-			option)
-		(exit 1))))
-	(lambda (options)
-	  (let loop ((options options))
-	    (if (null? options)
-		(begin
-		  (set! htdocs-dir (absolute-file-name htdocs-dir))
-		  (set! log-file-name (absolute-file-name log-file-name))
-		  (set! cgi-bin-dir (absolute-file-name cgi-bin-dir))
-		  (set! port (string->number port)))
-		(cond
-		 ((string=? (car options) "-h")
-		  (if (null? (cdr options))
-		    (missing-argument-error (car options))
-		    (set! htdocs-dir (cadr options)))
-		  (loop (cddr options)))
-		 ((string=? (car options) "-c")
-		  (if (null? (cdr options))
-		    (missing-argument-error (car options))
-		    (set! cgi-bin-dir (cadr options)))
-		  (loop (cddr options)))
-		 ((string=? (car options) "-p")
-		  (if (null? (cdr options))
-		    (missing-argument-error (car options))
-		    (set! port (cadr options)))
-		  (loop (cddr options)))
-		 ((string=? (car options) "-l")
-		  (if (null? (cdr options))
-		    (missing-argument-error (car options))
-		    (set! log-file-name (cadr options)))
-		  (loop (cddr options)))
-		 ((string=? (car options) "--help")
-		  (display (usage))
-		  (exit 0))
-		 ((string=? (car options) "--dump")
-		  (let ((image-name (if (null? (cdr options))
-					"web-server"
-					(cadr options))))
-		    (dump-scsh-program main image-name))
-		  (exit 0))
-		 (else
-		  (unknown-option-error (car options)))))))))
+    (define (raise-usage-error msg . info)
+      (display msg (current-error-port))
+      (for-each 
+       (lambda (i)
+	 (display i (current-error-port))
+	 (display " " (current-error-port)))
+       info)
+      (display "\n" (current-error-port))
+      (exit 1))
 
+    (define (parse-arguments arg-list)
+      (let ((number-option-proc
+	     (lambda (alist-key)
+	       (lambda (option name arg ops)
+		 (cond 
+		  ((not arg)
+		   (raise-usage-error "Option requires a number" name arg))
+		  ((string->number arg)
+		   => (lambda (n) (cons (cons alist-key n) ops)))
+		  (else
+		   (raise-usage-error "Not a number" arg))))))
+	    (absolute-file-name-proc
+	     (lambda (alist-key)
+	       (lambda (option name arg ops)
+		 (cons (cons alist-key
+			     (absolute-file-name arg)) ops)))))
+
+	(let ((htdocs-dir-option
+	       (option '(#\h "htdocs-dir") #t #f
+		       (absolute-file-name-proc 'htdocs-dir)))
+	      (cgi-bin-dir-option
+	       (option '(#\c "cgi-bin-dir") #t #f
+		       (absolute-file-name-proc 'cgi-bin-dir)))
+	      (port-option
+	       (option '(#\p "port") #t #f
+		       (number-option-proc 'port)))
+	      (log-file-name-option
+	       (option '(#\l "log-file-name") #t #f
+		       (absolute-file-name-proc 'log-file-name)))
+	      (requests-option
+	       (option '(#\r "requests") #t #f
+		       (number-option-proc 'requests)))
+	      (help-option
+	       (option '(#f "help") #f #f
+		       (lambda (option name arg ops)
+			 (display-usage)))))
+	  (args-fold arg-list
+		     (list htdocs-dir-option cgi-bin-dir-option
+			   port-option log-file-name-option
+			   requests-option help-option)
+		     (lambda (op name arg ops)
+		       (raise-usage-error
+			"Unknown command line argument: " name))
+		     cons 
+		     '()))))
+
+    (define (make-options-from-args cmd-line-args)
+      (let ((given (parse-arguments cmd-line-args)))
+	(map (lambda (p)
+	       (or (assoc (car p) given) p))
+	     default-options)))
+
+    (define (lookup-option alist option)
+      (cond 
+       ((assoc option alist)
+	=> cdr)
+       (else
+	(error "Internal error, option not found" option alist))))
+    
     (define (become-nobody-if-root)
       (cond ((zero? (user-uid))
 	     (set-gid (->gid "nobody"))
@@ -104,37 +120,35 @@ exec scsh -lel SSAX-4.9/load.scm -lel sunet-2.1/load.scm -dm -o http-test -e mai
     
     (define (main args)
       (with-cwd 
-       (file-name-directory (car (command-line)))
-       (init)
-       (format #t "reading options: ~s~%" (cdr args))
-       (get-options (cdr args))
+	  (file-name-directory (car (command-line)))
+	(let ((options (make-options-from-args (cdr args))))
 
-       (format #t "Going to run Webserver with:
+	  (format #t "Going to run Webserver with:
  htdocs-dir:    ~a
  cgi-bin-dir:   ~a
  port:          ~a
  log-file-name: ~a
  syslogging activated.
 "
-               htdocs-dir
-               cgi-bin-dir
-               port
-               log-file-name)
+		  (lookup-option options 'htdocs-dir)
+		  (lookup-option options 'cgi-bin-dir)
+		  (lookup-option options 'port)
+		  (lookup-option options 'log-file-name))
 
-       (httpd (make-httpd-options
-               with-port			port 
-               with-root-directory	(cwd)
-               with-syslog?		#t
-               with-log-file		log-file-name
-               with-post-bind-thunk      become-nobody-if-root
-               with-request-handler 
-               (alist-path-dispatcher
-                (list (cons "cgi-bin" (cgi-handler cgi-bin-dir))
-                      (cons "seval" seval-handler))
-                (tilde-home-dir-handler "public_html"
-                                        (rooted-file-or-directory-handler 
-                                         htdocs-dir)))))))
-))
+	  (httpd (make-httpd-options
+		  with-port			(lookup-option options 'port)
+		  with-root-directory		(cwd)
+		  with-syslog?			#t
+		  with-log-file			(lookup-option options 'log-file-name)
+		  with-post-bind-thunk		   become-nobody-if-root
+		  with-request-handler 
+		  (alist-path-dispatcher
+		   (list (cons "cgi-bin" (cgi-handler (lookup-option options 'cgi-bin-dir)))
+			 (cons "seval" seval-handler))
+		   (tilde-home-dir-handler "public_html"
+					   (rooted-file-or-directory-handler 
+					    (lookup-option options 'htdocs-dir)))))))))
+      ))
 ;; EOF
 
 ;;; Local Variables: