Interesting discussion on the openSUSE list about application startup times, that included this reference to nordi's helpful information on preloading apps. At the moment it only works out-the-box on KDE, but I'm going to give it a test under GNOME, and see how much difference it makes before possibly suggesting the appropriate change is made (probably for 10.1).

Also, elsewhere in the thread, apparently I'm "The Man", which AM at college has also called me. Quite a moniker, and one I'm rather proud of