--- vmd.orig	2014-02-21 09:52:33.762007670 +0100
+++ vmd	2014-02-21 10:10:11.197951374 +0100
@@ -135,9 +135,14 @@
 # when we spawn the VMD binary, we don't run it as a background process.
 set VMDWEBHELPER=0
 set VMDRUNDEBUGGER=0
+set VMDFORCE=0
 @ parmcount = 0
 foreach i ( $* )
   @ parmcount++
+  if ( "$argv[$parmcount]" == "-force") then
+    set VMDFORCE=1
+  endif
+
   if ( "$argv[$parmcount]" == "-webhelper") then
     set VMDWEBHELPER=1
   endif
@@ -177,6 +182,15 @@
   endif
 end
 
+# check whether ".vmdrc" exists in the current directory and we are not in $HOME
+# if it does, bail out!
+if ( $cwd != $home && $cwd != $VMDDIR && $VMDFORCE != "1" ) then
+  if ( -r ".vmdrc" ) then
+    echo 'ERROR: .vmdrc exists in this directory!'
+    echo 'If you are sure that this is OK, use "vmd -force".'
+    exit 1
+  endif
+endif
 
 # determine type of machine, and run appropriate executable
 set MACHARCH=`uname -s`