diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 0c4794fd1..e135eb644 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@ Changes between 1.0.0 and 1.0.1
 
 * improved documentation layout and content a lot
 
+* added a "--help-config" option to show conftest.py / ENV-var names for
+  all longopt cmdline options, and some special conftest.py variables. 
+  renamed 'conf_capture' conftest setting to 'option_capture' accordingly. 
+
 * fix issue #27: better reporting on non-collectable items given on commandline 
   (e.g. pyc files)
 
diff --git a/MANIFEST b/MANIFEST
index f32c63e68..712cc2266 100644
--- a/MANIFEST
+++ b/MANIFEST
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ doc/test/mission.txt
 doc/test/plugin/capture.txt
 doc/test/plugin/doctest.txt
 doc/test/plugin/figleaf.txt
+doc/test/plugin/helpconfig.txt
 doc/test/plugin/hooklog.txt
 doc/test/plugin/hookspec.txt
 doc/test/plugin/index.txt
@@ -349,6 +350,7 @@ py/test/plugin/pytest_default.py
 py/test/plugin/pytest_doctest.py
 py/test/plugin/pytest_execnetcleanup.py
 py/test/plugin/pytest_figleaf.py
+py/test/plugin/pytest_helpconfig.py
 py/test/plugin/pytest_hooklog.py
 py/test/plugin/pytest_keyword.py
 py/test/plugin/pytest_monkeypatch.py
@@ -366,6 +368,7 @@ py/test/plugin/pytest_tmpdir.py
 py/test/plugin/pytest_unittest.py
 py/test/plugin/pytest_xfail.py
 py/test/plugin/test_pytest_capture.py
+py/test/plugin/test_pytest_helpconfig.py
 py/test/plugin/test_pytest_nose.py
 py/test/plugin/test_pytest_runner.py
 py/test/plugin/test_pytest_runner_xunit.py
diff --git a/doc/announce/release-1.0.1.txt b/doc/announce/release-1.0.1.txt
index 593e45873..96860024e 100644
--- a/doc/announce/release-1.0.1.txt
+++ b/doc/announce/release-1.0.1.txt
@@ -1,17 +1,12 @@
-1.0.1: bug fixes, nose/unittest.py support, improved reporting
---------------------------------------------------------------------
+1.0.1: improved reporting, nose/unittest.py support, bug fixes
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-The py.test/pylib 1.0.1 release is a bugfix release for 1.0.1, coming
-with improved documentation and more support for running existing
-nose/unittest.py style test suites.  Checkout:
+The py.test/pylib 1.0.1 release is a bugfix release, coming
+with improved documentation and many test reporting improvements. 
+It also allows to run more existing nose and unittest.py style test suites.  
+For a testing quickstart and general documentation: 
 
-    quickstart: http://codespeak.net/py/current/test/quickstart.html
-
-    pytest: http://pytest.org 
-
-    pylib: http://pylib.org 
-
-or read on for the changelog. 
+    http://pytest.org and http://pylib.org
 
 Changes 1.0.0 to 1.0.1 
 ------------------------
@@ -20,7 +15,11 @@ Changes 1.0.0 to 1.0.1
   nose-style function/method/generator setup/teardown and 
   tries to report functions correctly.  
 
-* much improved documentation layout: see http://pytest.org 
+* improved documentation, better navigation: see http://pytest.org 
+
+* added a "--help-config" option to show conftest.py / ENV-var names for
+  all longopt cmdline options, and some special conftest.py variables. 
+  renamed 'conf_capture' conftest setting to 'option_capture' accordingly. 
 
 * unicode fixes: capturing and unicode writes to sys.stdout 
   (through e.g a print statement) now work within tests, 
diff --git a/doc/test/customize.txt b/doc/test/customize.txt
index 4e69ad89d..d0f82d3f6 100644
--- a/doc/test/customize.txt
+++ b/doc/test/customize.txt
@@ -17,85 +17,80 @@ You can see command line options by running::
     py.test -h 
 
 This will display all available command line options
-including the ones added by plugins `loaded at tool startup`_. 
-
+in your specific environment. 
 
 .. _`project-specific test configuration`: 
 .. _`collect_ignore`: 
 
-conftest.py: project specific test configuration
+conftest.py: project specific hooks and configuration
 --------------------------------------------------------
 
 A unique feature of py.test are its ``conftest.py`` files which
-allow to `set option defaults`_, `implement hooks`_, `specify funcargs`_
+allow to:
+
+* `set option defaults`_
+
+* `implement hooks`_
+
+* `specify funcargs`_
+
 or set particular variables to influence the testing process:
 
 * ``pytest_plugins``: list of named plugins to load 
 
-* ``collect_ignore``: list of paths to ignore during test collection (relative to the containing
-  ``conftest.py`` file) 
+* ``collect_ignore``: list of paths to ignore during test collection, relative to the containing ``conftest.py`` file 
 
 * ``rsyncdirs``: list of to-be-rsynced directories for distributed
-  testing 
+  testing, relative to the containing ``conftest.py`` file. 
 
 You may put a conftest.py files in your project root directory or into
 your package directory if you want to add project-specific test options. 
 
 ``py.test`` loads all ``conftest.py`` files upwards from the command
-line specified test files.  It will lookup configuration values
+line file arguments.  It usually looks up configuration values
 right-to-left, i.e. the closer conftest files will be checked first.
-You may have a ``conftest.py`` in your very home directory to have some
-global configuration values. 
-
-There is a flag that may help you debugging your conftest.py 
-configuration::
-
-    py.test --traceconfig 
+This means you can have a ``conftest.py`` in your very home directory to
+have some global configuration values. 
 
 .. _`specify funcargs`: funcargs.html#application-setup-tutorial-example
 
 .. _`set option defaults`: 
 
-setting option defaults 
--------------------------------
+setting persistent option defaults  
+------------------------------------
 
-py.test will lookup values of options in this order:
+py.test will lookup option values in this order: 
 
-* option value supplied at command line 
-* content of environment variable ``PYTEST_OPTION_NAME=...``
-* ``name = ...`` setting in the nearest ``conftest.py`` file.
+* command line
+* conftest.py files 
+* environment variables
 
-The name of an option usually is the one you find 
-in the longform of the option, i.e. the name 
-behind the ``--`` double-dash that you get with ``py.test -h``.
+To find out about the particular switches and type::
 
-IOW, you can set default values for options per project, per
-home-directoray, per shell session or per test-run. 
+    py.test --help-config
+
+This will print information about all options in your
+environment, including your local plugins. 
 
 .. _`basetemp`: 
 
 Temporary directories 
 -------------------------------------------
 
-``py.test`` runs provide means to create per-test session
-temporary (sub) directories through the config object.  
-You can create directories by calling a method
+You can create directories by calling one of two methods
 on the config object: 
 
-- ``config.mktemp(basename)``: create and returns a new tempdir 
+- ``config.mktemp(basename)``: create and return a new tempdir 
 
 - ``config.ensuretemp(basename)``: create or return a new tempdir 
 
-tempdirs are created as sub directories of a per-session testdir 
-and will keep around the directories of the last three 
-test runs.  You can also set the base temporary directory 
-with the `--basetemp`` option.  When distributing 
-tests on the same machine, ``py.test`` takes care to 
-pass around the basetemp directory such that all temporary
-files land below the same basetemp directory.  
-
-The config object is available when implementing `function arguments`_ 
-or `extensions`_ and can otherwise be globally accessed as ``py.test.config``. 
+temporary directories are created as sub directories of a per-session
+testdir and will keep around the directories of the last three test
+runs.  You can set the base temporary directory through the command line
+`--basetemp`` option.  When distributing tests on the same machine,
+``py.test`` takes care to configure a basetemp directory for the sub
+processes such that all temporary data lands below below a single
+per-test run basetemp directory.  
 
 .. _`function arguments`: funcargs.html
 .. _`extensions`: 
diff --git a/doc/test/plugin/capture.txt b/doc/test/plugin/capture.txt
index d333c4bc9..3c1a45be9 100644
--- a/doc/test/plugin/capture.txt
+++ b/doc/test/plugin/capture.txt
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ You can influence output capturing mechanisms from the command line::
 If you set capturing values in a conftest file like this::
 
     # conftest.py
-    conf_capture = 'fd'
+    option_capture = 'fd'
 
 then all tests in that directory will execute with "fd" style capturing. 
 
diff --git a/doc/test/plugin/helpconfig.txt b/doc/test/plugin/helpconfig.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1805d1708
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/test/plugin/helpconfig.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+
+pytest_helpconfig plugin
+========================
+
+provide version info, conftest/environment config names.
+
+.. contents::
+  :local:
+
+
+
+command line options
+--------------------
+
+
+``--help-config``
+    show available conftest.py and ENV-variable names.
+``--version``
+    display py lib version and import information.
+
+Start improving this plugin in 30 seconds
+=========================================
+
+
+1. Download `pytest_helpconfig.py`_ plugin source code 
+2. put it somewhere as ``pytest_helpconfig.py`` into your import path 
+3. a subsequent ``py.test`` run will use your local version
+
+Checkout customize_, other plugins_ or `get in contact`_. 
+
+.. include:: links.txt
diff --git a/doc/test/plugin/index.txt b/doc/test/plugin/index.txt
index 22a0e5944..338819ca7 100644
--- a/doc/test/plugin/index.txt
+++ b/doc/test/plugin/index.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 
-Plugins related to Python test functions and programs
-=====================================================
+plugins for Python test functions
+=================================
 
 xfail_ mark python test functions as expected-to-fail and report them separately.
 
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ capture_ configurable per-test stdout/stderr capturing mechanisms.
 recwarn_ helpers for asserting deprecation and other warnings.
 
 
-Plugins for other testing styles and languages
+plugins for other testing styles and languages
 ==============================================
 
 oejskit_ run javascript tests in real life browsers
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ doctest_ collect and execute doctests from modules and test files.
 restdoc_ perform ReST syntax, local and remote reference tests on .rst/.txt files.
 
 
-Plugins for generic reporting and failure logging
+plugins for generic reporting and failure logging
 =================================================
 
 pastebin_ submit failure or test session information to a pastebin service.
@@ -37,8 +37,20 @@ resultlog_ resultlog plugin for machine-readable logging of test results.
 terminal_ Implements terminal reporting of the full testing process.
 
 
-internal plugins / core functionality
-=====================================
+plugins for generic reporting and failure logging
+=================================================
+
+pastebin_ submit failure or test session information to a pastebin service.
+
+resultlog_ resultlog plugin for machine-readable logging of test results.
+
+terminal_ Implements terminal reporting of the full testing process.
+
+
+misc plugins / core functionality
+=================================
+
+helpconfig_ provide version info, conftest/environment config names.
 
 pdb_ interactive debugging with the Python Debugger.
 
diff --git a/doc/test/plugin/links.txt b/doc/test/plugin/links.txt
index b2e560406..9d9325062 100644
--- a/doc/test/plugin/links.txt
+++ b/doc/test/plugin/links.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+.. _`helpconfig`: helpconfig.html
 .. _`terminal`: terminal.html
 .. _`pytest_recwarn.py`: http://bitbucket.org/hpk42/py-trunk/raw/1.0.1/py/test/plugin/pytest_recwarn.py
 .. _`unittest`: unittest.html
@@ -15,6 +16,7 @@
 .. _`pytest_figleaf.py`: http://bitbucket.org/hpk42/py-trunk/raw/1.0.1/py/test/plugin/pytest_figleaf.py
 .. _`pytest_hooklog.py`: http://bitbucket.org/hpk42/py-trunk/raw/1.0.1/py/test/plugin/pytest_hooklog.py
 .. _`checkout the py.test development version`: ../../download.html#checkout
+.. _`pytest_helpconfig.py`: http://bitbucket.org/hpk42/py-trunk/raw/1.0.1/py/test/plugin/pytest_helpconfig.py
 .. _`oejskit`: oejskit.html
 .. _`doctest`: doctest.html
 .. _`get in contact`: ../../contact.html
diff --git a/makepluginlist.py b/makepluginlist.py
index dbd707f6d..baacc9e0a 100644
--- a/makepluginlist.py
+++ b/makepluginlist.py
@@ -4,14 +4,16 @@ import sys
 WIDTH = 75
 
 plugins = [
-    ('Plugins related to Python test functions and programs', 
+    ('plugins for Python test functions', 
             'xfail figleaf monkeypatch capture recwarn',),
-    ('Plugins for other testing styles and languages', 
+    ('plugins for other testing styles and languages', 
             'oejskit unittest nose doctest restdoc'),
-    ('Plugins for generic reporting and failure logging', 
+    ('plugins for generic reporting and failure logging', 
             'pastebin resultlog terminal',),
-    ('internal plugins / core functionality', 
-        'pdb keyword hooklog')
+    ('plugins for generic reporting and failure logging', 
+            'pastebin resultlog terminal',),
+    ('misc plugins / core functionality', 
+        'helpconfig pdb keyword hooklog')
     #('internal plugins / core functionality', 
     #    #'pdb keyword hooklog runner execnetcleanup # pytester',
     #    'pdb keyword hooklog runner execnetcleanup' # pytester',
diff --git a/py/test/config.py b/py/test/config.py
index 2ef394ba9..3d25fa45f 100644
--- a/py/test/config.py
+++ b/py/test/config.py
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ class Config(object):
                     val = eval(val)
                 opt.default = val 
             else:
-                name = "pytest_option_" + opt.dest
+                name = "option_" + opt.dest
                 try:
                     opt.default = self._conftest.rget(name)
                 except (ValueError, KeyError):
diff --git a/py/test/defaultconftest.py b/py/test/defaultconftest.py
index 506935541..7fac4f3cc 100644
--- a/py/test/defaultconftest.py
+++ b/py/test/defaultconftest.py
@@ -10,6 +10,5 @@ Generator = py.test.collect.Generator
 Function = py.test.collect.Function
 Instance = py.test.collect.Instance
 
-pytest_plugins = "default runner capture terminal keyword xfail tmpdir execnetcleanup monkeypatch recwarn pdb pastebin unittest".split()
+pytest_plugins = "default runner capture terminal keyword xfail tmpdir execnetcleanup monkeypatch recwarn pdb pastebin unittest helpconfig".split()
 
-conf_capture = "fd"
diff --git a/py/test/dist/testing/acceptance_test.py b/py/test/dist/testing/acceptance_test.py
index 3e609dc75..ecd855d81 100644
--- a/py/test/dist/testing/acceptance_test.py
+++ b/py/test/dist/testing/acceptance_test.py
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ class TestDistribution:
             """, 
         )
         testdir.makeconftest("""
-            pytest_option_tx = 'popen popen popen'.split()
+            option_tx = 'popen popen popen'.split()
         """)
         result = testdir.runpytest(p1, '-d')
         result.stdout.fnmatch_lines([
diff --git a/py/test/plugin/pytest_capture.py b/py/test/plugin/pytest_capture.py
index a391ba828..e43aa8559 100644
--- a/py/test/plugin/pytest_capture.py
+++ b/py/test/plugin/pytest_capture.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ You can influence output capturing mechanisms from the command line::
 If you set capturing values in a conftest file like this::
 
     # conftest.py
-    conf_capture = 'fd'
+    option_capture = 'fd'
 
 then all tests in that directory will execute with "fd" style capturing. 
 
@@ -131,7 +131,10 @@ class CaptureManager:
     def _getmethod(self, config, fspath):
         if config.option.capture:
             return config.option.capture
-        return config._conftest.rget("conf_capture", path=fspath)
+        try: 
+            return config._conftest.rget("option_capture", path=fspath)
+        except KeyError:
+            return "fd"
 
     def resumecapture_item(self, item):
         method = self._getmethod(item.config, item.fspath)
diff --git a/py/test/plugin/pytest_default.py b/py/test/plugin/pytest_default.py
index bc7d6cb8d..85cc78562 100644
--- a/py/test/plugin/pytest_default.py
+++ b/py/test/plugin/pytest_default.py
@@ -61,13 +61,13 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser):
                action="store", dest="tbstyle", default='long',
                type="choice", choices=['long', 'short', 'no'],
                help="traceback verboseness (long/short/no).")
-    group._addoption('-p', action="append", dest="plugin", default = [],
+    group._addoption('-p', action="append", dest="plugins", default = [],
                help=("load the specified plugin after command line parsing. "))
     group._addoption('-f', '--looponfail',
                action="store_true", dest="looponfail", default=False,
                help="run tests, re-run failing test set until all pass.")
 
-    group = parser.addgroup("test process debugging")
+    group = parser.addgroup("debugconfig", "test process debugging and configuration")
     group.addoption('--basetemp', dest="basetemp", default=None, metavar="dir",
                help="base temporary directory for this test run.")
 
@@ -91,17 +91,10 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser):
                help="shortcut for '--dist=load --tx=NUM*popen'")
     group.addoption('--rsyncdir', action="append", default=[], metavar="dir1", 
                help="add directory for rsyncing to remote tx nodes.")
-    group.addoption('--version', action="store_true",
-                    help="display version information")
 
 def pytest_configure(config):
     fixoptions(config)
     setsession(config)
-    if config.option.version:
-        p = py.path.local(py.__file__).dirpath()
-        sys.stderr.write("This is py.test version %s, imported from %s\n" % 
-            (py.__version__, p))
-        sys.exit(0)
     #xxxloadplugins(config)
 
 def fixoptions(config):
@@ -154,7 +147,7 @@ def test_plugin_specify(testdir):
 
 def test_plugin_already_exists(testdir):
     config = testdir.parseconfig("-p", "default")
-    assert config.option.plugin == ['default']
+    assert config.option.plugins == ['default']
     config.pluginmanager.do_configure(config)
 
 
diff --git a/py/test/plugin/pytest_helpconfig.py b/py/test/plugin/pytest_helpconfig.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..49109442f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/py/test/plugin/pytest_helpconfig.py
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+""" provide version info, conftest/environment config names. 
+"""
+import py
+import sys
+
+def pytest_addoption(parser):
+    group = parser.getgroup('debugconfig')
+    group.addoption("--help-config", action="store_true", dest="helpconfig", 
+            help="show available conftest.py and ENV-variable names.")
+    group.addoption('--version', action="store_true", 
+            help="display py lib version and import information.")
+
+def pytest_configure(__multicall__, config):
+    if config.option.version:
+        p = py.path.local(py.__file__).dirpath()
+        sys.stderr.write("This is py.test version %s, imported from %s\n" % 
+            (py.__version__, p))
+        sys.exit(0)
+    if not config.option.helpconfig:
+        return
+    __multicall__.execute()
+    options = []
+    for group in config._parser._groups:
+        options.extend(group.options)
+    widths = [0] * 10 
+    tw = py.io.TerminalWriter()
+    tw.sep("-")
+    tw.line("%-13s | %-18s | %-25s | %s" %(
+            "cmdline name", "conftest.py name", "ENV-variable name", "help"))
+    tw.sep("-")
+
+    options = [opt for opt in options if opt._long_opts]
+    options.sort(lambda x, y: cmp(x._long_opts, y._long_opts))
+    for opt in options:
+        if not opt._long_opts:
+            continue
+        optstrings = list(opt._long_opts) # + list(opt._short_opts)
+        optstrings = filter(None, optstrings)
+        optstring = "|".join(optstrings)
+        line = "%-13s | %-18s | %-25s | %s" %(
+            optstring, 
+            "option_%s" % opt.dest, 
+            "PYTEST_OPTION_%s" % opt.dest.upper(),
+            opt.help and opt.help or "", 
+            )
+        tw.line(line[:tw.fullwidth])
+    for name, help in conftest_options:
+        line = "%-13s | %-18s | %-25s | %s" %(
+            "", 
+            name, 
+            "",
+            help, 
+            )
+        tw.line(line[:tw.fullwidth])
+        
+    tw.sep("-")
+    sys.exit(0)
+
+conftest_options = (
+    ('pytest_plugins', 'list of plugin names to load'),
+    ('collect_ignore', '(relative) paths ignored during collection'), 
+    ('rsyncdirs', 'to-be-rsynced directories for dist-testing'), 
+)
diff --git a/py/test/plugin/pytest_terminal.py b/py/test/plugin/pytest_terminal.py
index 203353174..7eee7ace3 100644
--- a/py/test/plugin/pytest_terminal.py
+++ b/py/test/plugin/pytest_terminal.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import py
 import sys
 
 def pytest_addoption(parser):
-    group = parser.getgroup("test process debugging")
+    group = parser.getgroup("debugconfig")
     group.addoption('--collectonly',
         action="store_true", dest="collectonly",
         help="only collect tests, don't execute them."),
diff --git a/py/test/plugin/test_pytest_capture.py b/py/test/plugin/test_pytest_capture.py
index 8980e6d39..298764963 100644
--- a/py/test/plugin/test_pytest_capture.py
+++ b/py/test/plugin/test_pytest_capture.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ class TestCaptureManager:
         for name in ('no', 'fd', 'sys'):
             sub = testdir.tmpdir.mkdir("dir" + name)
             sub.ensure("__init__.py")
-            sub.join("conftest.py").write('conf_capture = %r' % name)
+            sub.join("conftest.py").write('option_capture = %r' % name)
             assert capman._getmethod(config, sub.join("test_hello.py")) == name
 
     @py.test.mark.multi(method=['no', 'fd', 'sys'])
diff --git a/py/test/plugin/test_pytest_helpconfig.py b/py/test/plugin/test_pytest_helpconfig.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0ddbe53ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/py/test/plugin/test_pytest_helpconfig.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+import py, os
+
+def test_version(testdir):
+    assert py.version == py.__version__ 
+    result = testdir.runpytest("--version")
+    assert result.ret == 0
+    p = py.path.local(py.__file__).dirpath()
+    assert result.stderr.fnmatch_lines([
+        '*py.test*%s*imported from*%s*' % (py.version, p)
+    ])
+
+def test_helpconfig(testdir):
+    result = testdir.runpytest("--help-config")
+    assert result.ret == 0
+    assert result.stdout.fnmatch_lines([
+        "*cmdline*conftest*ENV*",
+    ])
+
diff --git a/py/test/pluginmanager.py b/py/test/pluginmanager.py
index c8868c552..7a5ac305d 100644
--- a/py/test/pluginmanager.py
+++ b/py/test/pluginmanager.py
@@ -233,8 +233,7 @@ def importplugin(importspec):
 
 def isgenerichook(name):
     return name == "pytest_plugins" or \
-           name.startswith("pytest_funcarg__") or \
-           name.startswith("pytest_option_")
+           name.startswith("pytest_funcarg__")
 
 def getargs(func):
     args = py.std.inspect.getargs(func.func_code)[0]
diff --git a/py/test/testing/acceptance_test.py b/py/test/testing/acceptance_test.py
index 127f2682b..faf7fa690 100644
--- a/py/test/testing/acceptance_test.py
+++ b/py/test/testing/acceptance_test.py
@@ -1,14 +1,6 @@
 import py
 
 class TestGeneralUsage:
-    def test_version(self, testdir):
-        assert py.version == py.__version__ 
-        result = testdir.runpytest("--version")
-        assert result.ret == 0
-        p = py.path.local(py.__file__).dirpath()
-        assert result.stderr.fnmatch_lines([
-            '*py.test*%s*imported from*%s*' % (py.version, p)
-        ])
     def test_config_error(self, testdir):
         testdir.makeconftest("""
             def pytest_configure(config):
diff --git a/py/test/testing/test_config.py b/py/test/testing/test_config.py
index 8299aa6e3..5e9dc22dc 100644
--- a/py/test/testing/test_config.py
+++ b/py/test/testing/test_config.py
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ class TestConfigCmdlineParsing:
 
     def test_parser_addoption_default_conftest(self, testdir, monkeypatch):
         import os
-        testdir.makeconftest("pytest_option_verbose=True")
+        testdir.makeconftest("option_verbose=True")
         config = testdir.parseconfig()
         assert config.option.verbose