1- If there are any commands that you want to have run automatically when smartcoin starts, create a file "init.sh" in the smartcoin directory. Then you can add your commands that you want run on startup. I.e.:
Doesn't aticonfig require root privileges? In other words, doesn't he need to use sudo with the password in plaintext in the init script?
You only require root privileges if X windows is already running as the 'root' user. For example, if you do not have auto-login enabled. If however, you do have auto-login enabled, then you can run 'aticonfig' as your logged in user.