Another cool tool is dtach, you can direct the output to a socket and attach to it as you want (runs like a daemon).

dtach -n /tmp/myprog /usr/bin/myprog

to attach again:

dtach -a /tmp/myprog

I do not know about Ubuntu, but for xorg-server it would be:

/var/log/Xorg.0.log

gdm is "gnome desktop manager" this is a grafical login.

I would logon to the system on console prompt (just username/password where the login: is)

Then run "startx" and you will get more information.

make sure you execute the command in the folder, that contains the file libubuntulooks.so

the command needs to be executes for each file
like:

$sudo cp libubuntulooks.so /usr/lib/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/engines/
$sudo cp libubuntulooks.la /usr/lib/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/engines/

currently installed:

puzzle game: einstein (warning is addictive)

wine: Red Alert 3 :)

This is Xfce4.6, I love the Feature to minimize application to desktop (like in WindowMaker). Also GKrellm, Xchat and Pidgin.