LinuxQuestions.org - Faster gnome session startup by delayed programs start

Hello :)

[Reposted to the Programming forum (http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...93#post3604993)after waiting 6 days for a reply]

For faster Gnome session startup, I'm trying to start non-essential applications after allowing interaction with the Desktop.

Some success by System→Preferences→Sessions→"Startup Programs" and deselecting them all except for GnomeStartupProgramsDelayed.sh:

Code:

#! /bin/bash

# Quick and dirty proof of concept to start programs at Gnome session startup with a delay

sleep 60; /usr/bin/wallpaper-tray &

sleep 10; /usr/bin/gkrellm &

Issues arising from this are:

After Gnome session startup displays an empty desktop, there is what seems like an excessive delay before it draws the background and populates it with icons. How can I find out what is happening during this time?
When gkrellm starts it grabs focus. Possible to stop this?
In System→Preferences→Sessions→"Current Session", listed programs include GnomeStartupProgramsDelayed.sh but ps does not list it so it has exited. WallpaperTray is also listed but when it is made to exit it disappears from the list. How to tell gdm to drop a program from the list when it exits or before?

The most relevant information found so far is at:

http://mces.blogspot.com/2008/10/imp...t-1-gnome.html where it mentions a 10 second timeout (may be happening in item 1 above) but says this only applies before the APPLICATIONS stage which System→Preferences→Sessions→"Startup Programs" run in.
http://live.gnome.org/SessionManagement/NewGnomeSession which includes a description of the Gnome session startup procedure
http://library.gnome.org/admin/gdm/s...ration.html.en which describes gdm configuration in general

I'm stumped for now :scratch: and suspect many people would use the technique if it could be made tidy and robust, so all suggestions welcomed.

Best

Charles