More customizing: do I need to root?

[gloriousnumber1]

I'm sorry if this is in the wrong place, feel free to move it if that's the case.

I like my Motorola Droid, but there are some things I wish I could do on it that I would like some input on. I am considering rooting and geting a custom rom and kernel, but only if it's not too complicated just to accomplish what I want to do.

1. I want 2 contact lists, both alphabetical. One for work contacts and one for personal. They can be side by side or one on top of the other, it doesn't matter.

2. Speaking of contacts, I would like to be able to keep my contacts synced to things like facebook, but then change the names if I want to without losing that link.

3. I want more choices for notification tones. I want text, email, etc able to have different notification tones so I can tell the difference without even looking at it.

4. Speaking of tones, I like ringdroid, but it only works for ringtones, not notifications. I want to be able to use any sounds, music, etc for any ringtone or notification and in essence just choose from one big library.

5. I want to change the way my gallery is organized and have it more like a windows computer with folders and subfolders.

6. Speaking of pictures and folders, I would like to be able to make a shortcut to a picture or folder on my main screen without needing to go through the gallery first.

If any of you know how to do this, rooting or not please let me know. The last Droid forum I asked this too said to root and look for a kernel to do that and it might be possible. I only want input from people who HAVE DONE THIS OR SIMILAR THINGS. I don't want maybes or possiblys, just some advice from all of you who I'm sure are way smarter than me.

Thanks for the help.