[newbie]apache authentication questions

[nuffnough at gmail.com]

I have an apache 1.3.29 server that is running my website.  I have
written a bunch of scripts to generate the pages from csv files which
work great.

My next thing to learn is how to get user authentication functioning
the way I need it.

I understand the steps required to make .htpaccess files work,  but
this won't be enough for my purposes.  I want the site to remember that
a visitor has logged in or not,  and also to read a bunch of personal
info from a csv file dedicated to the userbase.  (A later project will
be to convert my csv files into databases,  but I am into baby steps at
the moment, so just focussing on python webiste authentication)

Ideally I would like this authentication to not be in the form of a
popup,  but rather via a username/password pair of fields at some place
on the page.  After authentication,  this should be reaplced by some
generic "have a nice day" kinda message,  or perhaps simply removed
altogether.  Additionally, they will be able to alter their personal
information and doing stuff like filling in the feedback form should
mean that they don't have to enter any personal info, just fill in the
details and click the send buttopn.  My experience with .htaccess files
is that they make an authentication popup,  which is not what I am
aiming at.

How can I incorporate this sort of user info in the apache
authentication stuff using python?

TIA!

Nuffnnough.