[MERGE] string-fix initial merge, take 2

Hi all,
        here's a re-take of the string-fix initial merge.

Compared to the retired first attempt it:
- fixes the issues Tsantilas Christos found out about
- implements String::find
- some more users analyzed and fixed.

For what's worth, I'm running this branch for my personal environment,
and it hasn't bombed on me (yet).

        Kinkie