diff --git a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_captureTomcatLogs b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_captureTomcatLogs
index e5ddbbaf..e64b7028 100755
--- a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_captureTomcatLogs
+++ b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_captureTomcatLogs
@@ -10,18 +10,16 @@ directory, for possible inspection later.
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 =end
 
+require File.expand_path('subscripts/common', File.dirname(__FILE__))
 require 'date'
-require "#{File.dirname(__FILE__)}/subscripts/loadParms"
 
 def figure_time_stamp()
   return DateTime.now.strftime("%Y-%m-%d_%H-%M-%S")
 end
 
-Dir.chdir("/home/jeb228/LoadTesting/versions/#{@version_name}") do |path|
-  @tomcat_logs_dir = "#{path}/tomcatLogs"
-  if (! File.directory?(@tomcat_logs_dir))
-    Dir.mkdir(@tomcat_logs_dir)
-  end
+@tomcat_logs_dir = version_file('tomcatLogs')
+if (! File.directory?(@tomcat_logs_dir))
+  Dir.mkdir(@tomcat_logs_dir)
 end
 
 Dir.chdir(@tomcat_logs_dir) do |path|
@@ -30,6 +28,6 @@ Dir.chdir(@tomcat_logs_dir) do |path|
 end
 
 Dir.chdir(@this_logs_dir) do |path|
-  system('cp ~/LoadTesting/tomcat/logs/* .')
+  system("cp #{@home}/tomcat/logs/* .")
 end
 
diff --git a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_clearTomcatLogs b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_clearTomcatLogs
index 51062961..a239a52d 100755
--- a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_clearTomcatLogs
+++ b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_clearTomcatLogs
@@ -9,4 +9,6 @@ Remove any Tomcat logs.
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 =end
 
-puts system("rm ~/LoadTesting/tomcat/logs/*")
+require File.expand_path('subscripts/common', File.dirname(__FILE__))
+
+puts system("rm #{@home}/tomcat/logs/*")
diff --git a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_deploy b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_deploy
index 2457d5ad..f0605611 100755
--- a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_deploy
+++ b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_deploy
@@ -13,12 +13,12 @@ template. Then run the build script.
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 =end
 
-require "#{File.dirname(__FILE__)}/subscripts/loadParms"
+require File.expand_path('subscripts/common', File.dirname(__FILE__))
 require 'erb'
 
-def build_deploy_properties
-  File.open(@deploy_properties_source) do |source_file|
-    File.open(@deploy_properties_target, 'w') do |target_file|
+def process_template_file(source, target)
+  File.open(source) do |source_file|
+    File.open(target, 'w') do |target_file|
       raw = source_file.read()
       cooked = ERB.new(raw).result
       target_file.write(cooked)
@@ -26,14 +26,18 @@ def build_deploy_properties
   end
 end
 
-puts system("rm -r ~/LoadTesting/tomcat/webapps/vivo*")
-puts system("rm -r ~/LoadTesting/tomcat/conf/Catalina/localhost/vivo*")
+puts system("rm -r #{@home}/tomcat/webapps/vivo*")
+puts system("rm -r #{@home}/tomcat/conf/Catalina/localhost/vivo*")
+puts system("rm -r #{@home}/tomcat/work/Catalina/localhost/vivo*")
 
-@deploy_properties_source = "/home/jeb228/LoadTesting/distros/#{@distro_name}/deploy.properties.template"
-@deploy_properties_target = "/home/jeb228/LoadTesting/distros/#{@distro_name}/vivo/deploy.properties"
-build_deploy_properties()
-
-Dir.chdir("/home/jeb228/LoadTesting/distros/#{@distro_name}/vivo") do |path|
-  system "ant clean deploy"
+if (@is_git)
+  process_template_file(distro_file("build.properties.template"), distro_file("VIVO/build.properties"))
+  process_template_file(distro_file("runtime.properties.template"), version_file("data/runtime.properties"))
+  Dir.chdir(distro_file("VIVO")) { |path| system "ant clean deploy" }
+else 
+  process_template_file(distro_file("deploy.properties.template"), distro_file("vivo/deploy.properties"))
+  Dir.chdir(distro_file("vivo")) { |path| system "ant clean deploy" }
 end
 
+
+
diff --git a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_fakeUploadedFiles b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_fakeUploadedFiles
index d813b577..27843920 100755
--- a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_fakeUploadedFiles
+++ b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_fakeUploadedFiles
@@ -13,14 +13,14 @@ the data model.
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 =end
 
-require "#{File.dirname(__FILE__)}/subscripts/loadParms"
-require "#{File.dirname(__FILE__)}/subscripts/upload_file_faker"
+require File.expand_path('subscripts/common', File.dirname(__FILE__))
+require "subscripts/upload_file_faker"
 
 properties  = {}
 
-properties["uploads_directory"] = "/home/jeb228/LoadTesting/versions/#{@version_name}/data/uploads"
-properties["file_info_file"] = "/home/jeb228/LoadTesting/modelData/#{@site_name}/imageFileInfo.csv"
-properties["template_file"] = "#{File.dirname(__FILE__)}/subscripts/dummy_image_file.jpg"
+properties["uploads_directory"] = version_file('data/uploads')
+properties["file_info_file"] = "#{@home}/modelData/#{@site_name}/imageFileInfo.csv"
+properties["template_file"] = "#{@home}/scripts/subscripts/dummy_image_file.jpg"
 
 if ARGV.length == 1 && ARGV[0] == "doit"
   properties["scan_only"] = "false"
diff --git a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_lessVivoLog b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_lessVivoLog
index 9043b914..c650f9e1 100755
--- a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_lessVivoLog
+++ b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_lessVivoLog
@@ -9,4 +9,6 @@ View the VIVO log in Tomcat.
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 =end
 
-puts system("less ~/LoadTesting/tomcat/logs/vivo.all.log")
+require File.expand_path('subscripts/common', File.dirname(__FILE__))
+
+puts system("less #{@home}/tomcat/logs/vivo.all.log")
diff --git a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_mergeTestResults b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_mergeTestResults
index 176bfec1..2b0848c0 100755
--- a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_mergeTestResults
+++ b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_mergeTestResults
@@ -10,12 +10,12 @@ into an HTML file so we can easily compare them.
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 =end
 
-require "#{File.dirname(__FILE__)}/subscripts/loadParms"
-require "#{File.dirname(__FILE__)}/subscripts/test_result_merger"
+require File.expand_path('subscripts/common', File.dirname(__FILE__))
+require 'subscripts/test_result_merger'
 
 properties  = {}
 
-source_dir = "/home/jeb228/LoadTesting/testinfo/results/#{@site_name}"
+source_dir = "#{@home}/testinfo/results/#{@site_name}"
 properties["source_directory"] = source_dir
 properties["target_directory"] = "/var/www/html/loadTesting/"
 properties["site_name"] = "#{@site_name}"
@@ -38,5 +38,3 @@ trm = TestResultMerger.new(properties)
 trm.merge
 
 puts "TestResultMerger was successful."
-
-
diff --git a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_runTest b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_runTest
index c73156db..fae0db55 100755
--- a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_runTest
+++ b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_runTest
@@ -13,15 +13,15 @@ Use XSL to create an HTML version of the results.
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 =end
 
-require "#{File.dirname(__FILE__)}/subscripts/loadParms"
+require File.expand_path('subscripts/common', File.dirname(__FILE__))
 
 def locate_files()
   test_full_name = "#{@test_name}#{@test_suffix}"
-  test_source_dir = "/home/jeb228/LoadTesting/testinfo/tests/#{@test_name}" 
+  test_source_dir = test_file("tests/#{@test_name}") 
   @test_jmx_file = "#{test_source_dir}/#{test_full_name}.jmx"
   raise "Test file doesn't exist: '#{@test_jmx_file}'." unless File.file?(@test_jmx_file)
 
-  result_dir = "/home/jeb228/LoadTesting/testinfo/results/#{@site_name}"
+  result_dir = test_file("results/#{@site_name}")
   Dir.mkdir(result_dir) unless File.directory?(result_dir)
 
   @test_jtl_file = "#{result_dir}/#{test_full_name}.jtl"
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ def locate_files()
   @test_html_file = "#{result_dir}/#{test_full_name}.html"
   File.delete(@test_html_file) if File.file?(@test_html_file)
 
-  data_dir = "/home/jeb228/LoadTesting/modelData/#{@site_name}"
+  data_dir = "#{@home}/modelData/#{@site_name}"
   @person_uris_file = "#{data_dir}/personUris.csv"
   raise "Person URIs file doesn't exist: '#{@person_uris_file}'" unless File.file?(@person_uris_file)
   @infoResource_uris_file = "#{data_dir}/infoResourceUris.csv"
diff --git a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_setTest b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_setTest
index 7aa1d27c..05c36de3 100755
--- a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_setTest
+++ b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_setTest
@@ -12,12 +12,18 @@ Record that selection, along with the desired number of iterations and threads.
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 =end
 
-@test_parms_file = "#{File.dirname(__FILE__)}/subscripts/_current_test.rb"
+begin
+  require File.expand_path('subscripts/common', File.dirname(__FILE__))
+rescue LoadError => e
+  puts e
+end
+
+@test_parms_file = "#{@home}/scripts/subscripts/_current_test.rb"
 
 # Find out what tests we have available
 def build_test_list()
   @test_names = []
-  Dir.foreach("/home/jeb228/LoadTesting/testinfo/tests") do |filename|
+  Dir.foreach(test_file('tests')) do |filename|
     @test_names.push(filename) unless filename[0,1] == "."
   end
   @test_names.sort!
diff --git a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_setVersion b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_setVersion
index c715176e..5b94190f 100755
--- a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_setVersion
+++ b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_setVersion
@@ -10,12 +10,18 @@ record that choice.
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 =end
 
-@version_parms_file = "#{File.dirname(__FILE__)}/subscripts/_current_version.rb"
+begin
+  require File.expand_path('subscripts/common', File.dirname(__FILE__))
+rescue LoadError => e
+  puts e
+end
+
+@version_parms_file = "#{@home}/scripts/subscripts/_current_version.rb"
 
 # Find out what versions we have available
 def build_version_list()
   @version_names = []
-  Dir.foreach("/home/jeb228/LoadTesting/versions") do |filename|
+  Dir.foreach("#{@home}/versions") do |filename|
     @version_names.push(filename) unless (filename[0,1] == "_") || (filename[0,1] == ".")
   end
   @version_names.sort!
diff --git a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_startTomcat b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_startTomcat
index d511dc4a..feab3194 100755
--- a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_startTomcat
+++ b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_startTomcat
@@ -8,5 +8,8 @@ Duh
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 =end
-puts system("~/LoadTesting/tomcat/bin/startup.sh")
+
+require File.expand_path('subscripts/common', File.dirname(__FILE__))
+
+puts system("#{@home}/tomcat/bin/startup.sh")
 
diff --git a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_status b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_status
index 1e36e9c1..371269a0 100755
--- a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_status
+++ b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_status
@@ -8,13 +8,14 @@ Show the SVN status of the currently-selected distro, both VIVO and Vitro.
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 =end
-require "#{File.dirname(__FILE__)}/subscripts/loadParms"
 
-Dir.chdir("/home/jeb228/LoadTesting/distros/#{@distro_name}/vitro") do |path|
-  system "svn status -u"
-end
-
-Dir.chdir("/home/jeb228/LoadTesting/distros/#{@distro_name}/vivo") do |path|
-  system "svn status -u"
+require File.expand_path('subscripts/common', File.dirname(__FILE__))
+
+if (@is_git)
+  Dir.chdir(distro_file('Vitro')) { |path| system "svn status -u" }
+  Dir.chdir(distro_file('VIVO'))  { |path| system "svn status -u" }
+else
+  Dir.chdir(distro_file('vitro')) { |path| system "svn status -u" }
+  Dir.chdir(distro_file('vivo'))  { |path| system "svn status -u" }
 end
 
diff --git a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_stopTomcat b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_stopTomcat
index 13faf73f..fb39ad8f 100755
--- a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_stopTomcat
+++ b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_stopTomcat
@@ -9,5 +9,7 @@ Duh
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 =end
 
-puts system("~/LoadTesting/tomcat/bin/shutdown.sh")
+require File.expand_path('subscripts/common', File.dirname(__FILE__))
+
+puts system("#{@home}/tomcat/bin/shutdown.sh")
 
diff --git a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_tailTomcatLogs b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_tailTomcatLogs
index 7c04c69c..4ffdaf3d 100755
--- a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_tailTomcatLogs
+++ b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_tailTomcatLogs
@@ -9,4 +9,6 @@ Start following the tails of all of the logs in Tomcat.
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 =end
 
-puts system("tail -f ~/LoadTesting/tomcat/logs/*")
+require File.expand_path('subscripts/common', File.dirname(__FILE__))
+
+puts system("tail -f #{@home}/tomcat/logs/*")
diff --git a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_update b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_update
index fcae8f09..f90aed3c 100755
--- a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_update
+++ b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_update
@@ -9,13 +9,12 @@ Use SVN to get the latest revisions to the currently-selected distro.
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 =end
 
-require "#{File.dirname(__FILE__)}/subscripts/loadParms"
+require File.expand_path('subscripts/common', File.dirname(__FILE__))
 
-Dir.chdir("/home/jeb228/LoadTesting/distros/#{@distro_name}/vitro") do |path|
-  system "svn update"
+if (@is_git)
+  Dir.chdir(distro_file('Vitro')) { |path| system "git pull" }
+  Dir.chdir(distro_file('VIVO'))  { |path| system "git pull" }
+else
+  Dir.chdir(distro_file('vitro')) { |path| system "svn update" }
+  Dir.chdir(distro_file('vivo'))  { |path| system "svn update" }
 end
-
-Dir.chdir("/home/jeb228/LoadTesting/distros/#{@distro_name}/vivo") do |path|
-  system "svn update"
-end
-
diff --git a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_whichTest b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_whichTest
index 079da541..95ff0b70 100755
--- a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_whichTest
+++ b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_whichTest
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ What is the currently-selected test?
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 =end
 
-require "#{File.dirname(__FILE__)}/subscripts/loadParms"
+require File.expand_path('subscripts/common', File.dirname(__FILE__))
 
 puts "Current test is #{@test_name}, #{@test_threads} threads, #{@test_iterations} iterations"
 
diff --git a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_whichVersion b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_whichVersion
index c2004aeb..576b4044 100755
--- a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_whichVersion
+++ b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/_whichVersion
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ What is the currently-selected version?
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 =end
 
-require "#{File.dirname(__FILE__)}/subscripts/loadParms"
+require File.expand_path('subscripts/common', File.dirname(__FILE__))
 
 puts "Current version is #{@version_name}"
 
diff --git a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/subscripts/_current_test.rb b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/subscripts/_current_test.rb
deleted file mode 100644
index e959c45f..00000000
--- a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/subscripts/_current_test.rb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-# what is the current test, and how many times will it run?
-@test_name = 'SimpleTests'
-@test_threads = '1'
-@test_iterations = '40'
diff --git a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/subscripts/_current_version.rb b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/subscripts/_current_version.rb
deleted file mode 100644
index df99bc07..00000000
--- a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/subscripts/_current_version.rb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-# what is the current version under test?
-@version_name = 'cornell1.4'
diff --git a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/subscripts/common.rb b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/subscripts/common.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8f9d5758
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/subscripts/common.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+#
+# The path to the LoadTesting directory. Everything is based on this
+# 
+@home = File.expand_path("../..", File.dirname(__FILE__))
+
+#
+# 'require' should look in the scripts directory
+#
+$: << File.expand_path('scripts', @home)
+
+# 
+# convenience methods to access files
+#
+def version_file(path)
+  "#{@home}/versions/#{@version_name}/#{path}"
+end
+
+def distro_file(path)
+  "#{@home}/distros/#{@distro_name}/#{path}"
+end
+
+def site_file(path)
+  "#{@home}/sites/#{@site_name}/#{path}"
+end
+
+def test_file(path)
+  "#{@home}/testinfo/#{path}"
+end
+
+#
+# All of the scripts need to load these parms. (Except _setVersion and _setTest)
+#
+require 'subscripts/loadParms'
diff --git a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/subscripts/loadParms.rb b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/subscripts/loadParms.rb
index ba161043..66deb7eb 100755
--- a/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/subscripts/loadParms.rb
+++ b/utilities/LoadTesting/scripts/subscripts/loadParms.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-require "#{File.dirname(__FILE__)}/_current_version"
-require "#{File.dirname(__FILE__)}/_current_test"
-require "/home/jeb228/LoadTesting/versions/#{@version_name}/version_properties"
-require "/home/jeb228/LoadTesting/distros/#{@distro_name}/distro_properties"
-require "/home/jeb228/LoadTesting/sites/#{@site_name}/site_properties"
+require 'subscripts/_current_version'
+require 'subscripts/_current_test'
+require version_file('version_properties')
+require distro_file('distro_properties')
+require site_file('site_properties')