Make alternative method of calling startx a configuration option. This changes the default startx call back to not using a subshell.

src/cdm

@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ xtty=${xtty:-7}
 locktty=${locktty:-no}
 consolekit=${consolekit:-yes}
 cktimeout=${cktimeout:-30}
+altstartx=${altstartx:-no}
 [[ -z "${binlist[*]}" ]] && binlist=()
 [[ -z "${namelist[*]}" ]] && namelist=()
 [[ -z "${flaglist[*]}" ]] && flaglist=()
@@ -202,6 +203,7 @@ case ${flaglist[$binindex]} in
         serverargs=(":${display}" "${serverargs[@]}" "vt$vt")
 
         $(yesno consolekit) && launchflags=(-c -t "$cktimeout")
+        $(yesno altstartx) && launchflags=("${launchflags[@]}" --altstartx)
         if cdm-xlaunch "${launchflags[@]}" -- "${bin[@]}" -- "${serverargs[@]}"
         then
             exitnormal

src/cdm-xlaunch

@@ -31,11 +31,12 @@
 name=$(basename "$0")
 consolekit=false
 cktimeout=30
+altstartx=false
 
 info() { printf ' \033[01;32m*\033[00m '; echo "$name: $*"; }
 error() { (printf ' \033[01;31m*\033[00m '; echo "$name: $*") > /dev/stderr; }
 
-args=$(getopt -n "$name" -o ct: -l consolekit,timeout: -- "$@") || exit 1
+args=$(getopt -n "$name" -o ct: -l consolekit,timeout,altstartx: -- "$@") || exit 1
 eval set -- "$args"
 for arg in "$@"
 do
@@ -47,6 +48,9 @@ do
             shift
             cktimeout=$1; shift
             ;;
+        '--altstartx')
+            altstartx=true; shift
+            ;;
         '--')
             shift
             break
@@ -76,7 +80,13 @@ if $consolekit; then
     dbuspid=$(<"$dbuspidfifo"); rm -f "$dbuspidfifo"
 fi
 
-$(setsid startx "$@" > /dev/null 2>&1) &
+if $altstartx; then
+    # Alternative method of calling setsid(/startx) for systems that are unresponsive to the 'normal' call.
+    # This method should be avoided because this implementation keeps extra background processes, waiting for startx to return.
+    $(setsid startx "$@" > /dev/null 2>&1) &
+else
+    setsid startx "$@" > /dev/null 2>&1 &
+fi
 
 # If wait(1) returns with a value >128, it was interrupted by kill(1),
 # so registration was sucessful.

src/cdmrc

@@ -56,3 +56,8 @@ cktimeout=30
 # Arguments with whitespaces should be quoted or escaped.
 serverargs=(-nolisten tcp)
 
+# Alternative method of calling startx(/setsid). Should only be set if cdm
+# does not start X as expected (bash -x shows call to setsid startx, but for
+# no apparent reason does not start X).
+# Only provided in the hope it proves to be useful, not a guaranteed fix.
+altstartx=no