> I have a puzzler.  Why is it that if I run Xnest followed by xmodmap
> followed by xterm, the keyboard map isn't changed in the xterm?
> 
>         Xnest :1 &
>         xmodmap -display :1 ./.xmodmap.pc
>         xterm -display :1
>

Because the Xserver resets after the last clients exits, which happens
between the xmodmap and the xterm commands.
Look at Xserver(1) man page (the -noreset flag) or try starting an
additional client before xmodmap and leave it running until after the
xterm starts.

-hjalmar