dark GUI of Ubuntu when logging in. How to change?

[Tom H]

>> I have just tried alt-f2 and both gksu -u gdm gnome-control-center and
>> gksudo -u gdm gnome-control-center on lucid and neither of them worked.

> "gksudo -u gdm dbus-launch <app name>" is the magic syntax. Running apps
> as gdm is probably a bad idea, though.

Thanks for the tip! Totally new to me. Just tested launching a root
xterm with it (simpler than messing about with xauth!).

The only use of "-u gdm" that I would/will make is to change the look
of the login screen, including the simple-greeter.

:)