polylang : no customizations
google-analytics : no customizations
role-scoper : use role-scoper.patch
list-pages-shortcode : no customizations (previous ones were accepeted upstream)
contact-form-7 : use contact-form-7.patch
wp-importer : patch needed (backslashing issue)
google-custom-search : patch needed
all others : ask Dave

==== PATCHING INFO ====
situation: i have a custom hacked version of a plugin (role-scoper) and now i need to upgrade it.

solution: diff and patch

let's say that the old version was 1.3.55, and the new version is 1.3.56. arrange things so that the plugins directory contains these three subfolders:

(a) "role-scoper", the custom hacked version of 1.3.55
(b) "role-scoper.1.3.55", an unmodified copy
(c) "role-scoper.1.3.56", an unmodified copy

inside the hacked version (b)
find . | grep '~'
find . | grep 'orig'
delete any emacs temp files or pre-patched backups you want to kill

CREATE PATCH:
cd into the 1.3.55 copy (a)
diff -Naur . ../role-scoper > ../role-scoper.patch

APPLY PATCH:
cd ../role-scoper.1.3.56 (c)
patch -p1 -i ../role-scoper.patch

OPTIONAL:
unzip a fresh copy of 1.3.56 and inspect its diff against the patched (c) folder. be careful to use distinct names. NB: patch will create some .orig files in the patched  version.

CLEANUP:
delete (a) and (b) {and the optional fresh copy}

KEEP:
the patch file, for the subsequent upgrade, as only APPLY PATCH will be needed.

GOOD IDEA:
submit the patch to the package maintainer