Support

The R=301 is added when your server reports its version correctly and we detect that it's at least Apache 2.2 (2.0 and earlier did not support the R=301 qualifier in RewriteRule). If the server doesn't report its version number or reports a fake version number the .htaccess Maker will not add R=301, therefore a 302 or 303 redirect will be issued, depending on the Apache version.

I don't think there is such a thing as ".htaccess literate" and I'm saying that being a developer and all. Apache configuration is a kind of black art that you learn by means of Google, tinkering, reading the help file, rinse and repeat. After all Apache got its name by its original monicker "A patchy [web] server" ;)

Regarding the Apache version, yes, I figured you're using Apache 2.2 or later, otherwise it would show a white screen of death as soon as you put that R=301 in the .htaccess file. The problem is that Apache doesn't report its real version to PHP. The end result is that PHP gets the web server version string "Apache" with no actual version number.

At this point I had a choice: assume it's Apache 2.2 and use R=301 and other similar goodies or assume the worst, Apache 2.0 or earlier, and refrain from using R=301. A year ago I chose to assume it's Apache 2.2 and use R=301. Guess what? We got flooded by support requests about .htaccess Maker causing people's sites to end up showing nothing but a blank page. Half a day later I reverted that decision and assume that a no-version Apache is Apache 2.0. Not a perfect solution, but putting the burden on you (our users) to select the correct version is an even worse solution. Most of our users don't even know if they have Apache, hence the "Will .htaccess Maker work on my server" text in the .htaccess Maker of Admin Tools 3.0.0. If you were me, between a rock, a hard place and a cliff which one would you choose? :)