4.6.1 desktop configuration problems

[Todd And Margo Chester]

Hi All,

I have a charitable institution that was donated an XP
computer.  Apparently XP was pirated big time.   So,
rather than going through all the expense and hassle
of putting a legal copy of XP back on, I had her demo
Fedora Core 14 Xfce 4.6.1 live CD.  It looked like a
good match as she only needed to surf the Internet
and to word process.  She did not need *Linux killers*
Quick Books or M$ Office.

She decided she liked Linux/Xfce (my favorite GUI
by the way).  Actually, she complained about not being
able to do a bunch of functions from the Live CD.  Apparently
it ran so much better than XP that she forgot she was in
demo/live CD mode.  So I installed FC14/Xfce permanently
on her computer.  All went very well.

Problem.  Xfce 4.6.1 was a nightmare to configure.  When I
went to the program menu to Firefox, all three mouse buttons
started Firefox.  I was unable to drag Firefox to the desktop.
Eventually, I just create a new launcher on the desktop for
Firefox.  Had to create a new one for Libre Office too.
(The right  button and center mouse buttons are working
correctly elsewhere.)

Then when I tried to drag the Firefox's and Libre Office's
desktop icons over from the Desktop up to the quick
launcher, again I was thwarted.

When I went into .conf and created my own launcher-xx.rc
and modified the .xml file, I discovered that my changes
were purged when I logged out.

So, not to be out smarted by such, I vi'ed inittab, and rebooted
into run level 3.  I vi'ed the xml file and adding my new Libre
Office launcher.  I then vi'ed the Firefox launcher and changed
the weird icon over to Firefox's icon so the user would recognize it.
Vi'ed inittad back to run level 5 and rebooted.  Happy camping
was achieved.  (I was unable to just issue "init 3" and "init 5"
as it froze the computer.)

This is awful!  I must be missing something.

1) Xfce can not be so awkward/unfinished that I have to drop
to run level 3 every time I want to add or modify an item on
the launcher?

2) Xfce can not be so awkward/unfinished that I have to create
a new desktop item even when they are in the program pop ups?

3) And how the h--- do I add/modify things to the program pop up?

I *must* be missing something.  Xfce 4.6.1 can not be this
awkward/unfinished!

Please someone correct me!  Did this get fixed in 4.8?

Many thanks,
-T

p.s. When I finished, the customer was absolutely tickled.
So, was I.  The computer ran beautifully.  Xfce is awesome,
once you get it configured.