Slackware :: Migrating To KDE 4.5.5 - Customized Settings

I am migrating to KDE4. When Current goes official I plan to install and give KDE4 a serious run. Because I am running 12.2 I will forego the upgrade path and install fresh in separate partitions. I haven't performed a fresh install since first installing Slackware 10.1. Likely I'll go 64-bit as my system is a dual core AMD with 4GB of RAM. Is there a list somewhere of 32-bit apps that have no 64-bit versions? Through the years I have many system tweaks and customized settings, but I'll be able to migrate and resurrect those readily. Mostly I am concerned with the desktop migration. Any punch list of warnings and "gotchas" are welcomed. Any links focusing on migrating at such a "late" stage in the KDE4 cycle.

I don't want to build the desktop completely from scratch. A fresh install reduces cruft and clutter that might have accumulated through the years, but also means more work configuring the desktop and apps. Fortunately, I long ago housed my user and data file directories on separate partitions and don't have to worry about that. Therefore during the transition I will be dual booting but using the same user accounts. All user accounts currently have $HOME/.kde profile directories that I do not want clobbered by KDE4. Should I rename that directory now and change a handful of KDE environment variables in 12.2 before working with KDE4, such as $KDEHOME and $KDE_CONFIG_DIR? New user account names would be one option, but my primary user account has too many non-KDE settings to migrate.

In that spirit, would somebody post the default Slackware KDE related environment variables so I can compare to those in KDE3? I am browsing the forum and web for various elements I should know or be forewarned, but many of the threads are old and I suspect no longer apply to KDE 4.5.5. I would like to migrate as many KDE 3.5.10 settings as possible, such as KMail, Akregator, Kate, Konsole, KMix, K3B, Kaffeine, Amarok, Digikam, etc. I realize there might be a point of diminishing returns and reconfiguring from scratch might be less problematic. Will both KDE4 and KDE3 be able to use the same KMail files? Or during the transition should I restrict my mail checks to KDE3?

If possible I would like to disable Nepomuk and Strigi before starting my first session in KDE4. I don't want to disable them after starting the first session as then profile files are automatically created. Hopefully nothing more than editing some default configuration files (/usr/share/autostart? Don't install those packages?). I have no need for or interest in Nepomuk (social-semantic desktop). I don't think I have any use for Strigi, which if I understand correctly, focuses on indexing meta data rather than just finding files. As far as I can tell because of PIM apps, disabling Akonadi is futile, so I won't try.