Configuration for ex-fvwm users

[Hans Georg Schaathun]

Hi,

I have for the last five years used a dirty hack combining fvwm with
a gnome-panel.  Having read a review of xfce, I decided to give it a
try, aiming to preserve the features I have and get consistency on 
top.

I run into a number of problems.  Is there any good documentations
for users who are used to the flexibility and config files of 
pre-desktop X11, and not at all familiar with gnome/kde/cde/windows?
The official sources I have found focus on very basic features only.

If someone would be willing to help with the particular issues
I have, I would be very grateful, even though depth-documentation
would keep me going for longer.

1.  The keyboard layout selector in the panel was cool.  Much better 
than the xmodmap hack I used to have to switch layout.  Unfortunately, it
does not preserve the settings between sessions.  Both the secondary
layouts and the keybindings to switch disappear at next login.
What mistake can I have made?

2. Biff doesn't look good.  I need a simple xbiff application, one
icon per mailbox (spool type boxes only), so the panel email monitor
does not do it.  I am used to xbiff, but I cannot figure out how to
make it sticky, title-less, border-less, etc.  In fvwm, this is a
feature of the wm by pattern matching on the window title.  I
cannot find such feature in xfwm.  Is there a different way to do it?

This problem can obviously be solved either by a biff-like panel
application or by figuring out how to strip the xbiff window.

3.  Is there a way to tweak the keyboard layout, that is, 
redefining individual keys?  Such as replacing the universal
currency symbol by a dollar sign on some European layouts.

4.  Gnome has a panel application to monitor and mount/unmount
removable storage, showing one icon per device.  The xfce mount
application that I found, shows only one icon, listing all the
non-removable devices too.  Is there an applications which gives a
good overview of all the removable devices?

TIA
-- 
:-- Hans Georg