Summary
The startup of the X Window System can easily resemble a maze of twisty little passages, all alike, to new usersand even many experienced ones. Once you are familiar with the startup system's goals and common way points, however, it is much easier to find your way around.
Do note that although you can use these same techniques on non-Linux platforms, other Unix-like systems have even greater variation in how they start the X Window System. For example, starting the CDE desktop on Solaris only casually resembles the previous description (although starting OpenWindows on Solaris is fairly similar). Even so, the tools you have learned in this article provide a good foundation for exploration, and knowing how to explore is your best bet for becoming an expert in Linux and other Unix-like systems.