Hello, I just picked up a fireface ufx about 4 days ago, very nice interface!! well done RME !!

I have a few questions and concerns, any help would be greatly appreciated....

1. If it safe to leave the unit on 24/7 ? will it lower its expected lifespan at all ?

2. I am using it hooked up to a macbook pro which I frequently move around in and out of the studio room. I know hotplugging can fry ports, I have seen a picture of a fried port by someone here at RME haha. Without frying my FW800 port what is the safest and quickest way to to disconnect/reconnect the macbookpro from the fireface ?
Should I shut down the macbookpro and turn off the fireface to disconnect ? or perhaps I can just shut down the macbook pro and leave the fireface on and disconnect ? or maybe put the macbook in sleep mode and power down the fireface and disconnect ? Basically whatever is the fastest method but ensuring no possible damage can be done to either the macbook ports or the fireface. And the same question goes for reconnecting....

3. I've read many reports of the macbookpro (2009) raising the CPU temps about 10 degrees instantly when a device is connected to the FW port (see: http://www.gearslutz.com/board/music-co … oof.html). Some problem that apple will basically never fix. Will using an expresscard/34 solution (SIIG TI) avoid this problem ? (sorry this might sound more of a mac problem then a fireface one but I'lm just curious). Also, does the UFX need firewire bus power ? because I hear most of the expresscard firewire cards do not provide bus power, can the fireface UFX run strictly off wall power ?

4. Can I have USB and Firewire drivers both installed on the macbookpro/OS X and switch between them to run heat tests ? I would reboot inbetween I just wanna know if having both those drivers installed at the same time will cause any conflicts or problems.

5. Getting used to the Totalmix FX software right now. My only annoyance is that I want the main output and headphone(s) output to be identical like 99% of the time when I use the fireface. Is there any way to link them together without right clicking and copying mixer settings between them?  So when I raise the fader of analog input 1/2, both the headphone and main outputs both get the signal at the same time ?

6. Coming from a Profire 610, I feel the preamps on the fireface ufx aren't as bright ? everything sounds cleaner on the fireface and in fact its probably a more accurate signal and its just my ears that need adjusting. But I can't help but feel like its a bit dimmer/darker. Am I crazy to think this ?

7. I do miss gain controls for both headphone outputs and main outputs. Can anyone recommend a simple mackie control interface that is very simple for controlling basically these 3 knobs ? It would be great if they weren't stepped controls too. As much as I like the precision of stepping and exact db levels, some smooth knobs would be really nice. I figure if I got smooth knobs on a mackie controller I could get the best of both worlds..

Thank you for your time.
Again, any help is greatly appreciated...