How to Pimp and Primp Ubuntu Boot and Startup
posted by d3k4y - Jan 20 08 - from hacktivision.com
Have you ever seen an OS with a custom boot screen or splash screen? It really sets the tone for a nicely customized desktop. This howto will show you how to customize the GRUB screen, the boot splash screen, and GDM, the login screen, using all GUI tools.

d3k4y: Nice guide to customize the Ubuntu startup process from GRUB to GDM