diff --git a/.gitpod.Dockerfile b/.gitpod.Dockerfile
index 43249bea..ffb149a8 100644
--- a/.gitpod.Dockerfile
+++ b/.gitpod.Dockerfile
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ RUN sudo touch /var/log/apache2/other_vhosts_access.log \
     && sudo chmod 666 /var/log/apache2/other_vhosts_access.log
 
 RUN sudo apt-get update -q \
-    && sudo apt-get install -y rsync
+    && sudo apt-get install -y rsync \
+    && sudo apt-get install -y grc
     
 RUN wget http://xdebug.org/files/xdebug-3.0.2.tgz \
     && tar -xvzf xdebug-3.0.2.tgz \
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ RUN sudo bash -c ". /tmp/update-composer.sh" && rm /tmp/update-composer.sh
 
 # gitpod trick to bypass the docker caching mechanism for all lines below this one
 # just increment the value each time you want to bypass the cache system
-ENV INVALIDATE_CACHE=123
+ENV INVALIDATE_CACHE=125
 
 COPY --chown=gitpod:gitpod bash/utils.sh /tmp
 COPY --chown=gitpod:gitpod starter.ini /tmp
diff --git a/.gitpod.yml b/.gitpod.yml
index 2ca1c442..8a533214 100644
--- a/.gitpod.yml
+++ b/.gitpod.yml
@@ -24,15 +24,18 @@ tasks:
       if [ $(bash bash/helpers.sh is_inited) == 1 ]; then \
         gp sync-done gitpod-inited
       fi;
+      . bash/third-party/spinner.sh
       UP=$(pgrep mysql | wc -l); \
       if [ "$UP" -ne 1 ]; then \
-        . bash/third-party/spinner.sh &&
         start_spinner "Initializing MySql..." &&
         gp await-port 3306 &&
         stop_spinner $?; \
       fi &&
       gp await-port 3306 &&
-      sleep 1 &&
+      __server=$(bash bash/utils.sh parse_ini_value starter.ini development default_server); \
+      start_spinner "Starting $__server web server when system is ready..." &&
+      gp sync-await gitpod-inited &&
+      stop_spinner $? &&
       bash -i bash/helpers.sh start_server
     name: Web Server
   - openMode: split-top
diff --git a/bash/before-tasks.sh b/bash/before-tasks.sh
index ea0d6876..3edc77f6 100644
--- a/bash/before-tasks.sh
+++ b/bash/before-tasks.sh
@@ -23,17 +23,38 @@ log_silent () {
 
 # Rake tasks (will be written to ~/.rake).
 # Some rake tasks are dynamic and depend on the configuration in starter.ini
-msg="Writing rake tasks"
-log "$msg" &&
-bash bash/init-rake-tasks.sh
+if [ "$(bash bash/utils.sh parse_ini_value starter.ini github-changelog-generator install)" ]; then
+  msg="Writing rake tasks"
+  log "$msg..." &&
+  bash bash/init-rake-tasks.sh
+  if [ $? == 0 ]; then 
+    log "SUCCESS: $msg"
+  else
+    log "ERROR: $msg" -e
+  fi
+fi
+
 
 # Aliases for git
-msg="Writing git aliases"
-log "$msg" &&
+msg="\ngit aliases have been written"
 bash bash/utils.sh add_file_to_file_after \\[alias\\] bash/snippets/emoji-log ~/.gitconfig &&
-bash bash/utils.sh add_file_to_file_after \\[alias\\] bash/snippets/git-aliases ~/.gitconfig
-log "try: git a    or: git aliases    for a list your git aliases.\n"
+bash bash/utils.sh add_file_to_file_after \\[alias\\] bash/snippets/git-aliases ~/.gitconfig &&
+log "$msg" &&
+log "\ntry: git a    or: git aliases\nto see what is available.\n"
+
+# grc color configuration for apache logs
+msg="Creating grc color configuration file for apache logs: ~/apache-log-colors.conf"
+log "$msg..." &&
+cat bash/snippets/grc/apache-log-colors > ~/apache-log-colors.conf
+if [ $? == 0 ]; then
+  log "SUCCESS: $msg"
+else
+  log "ERROR: $msg" -e
+fi
 
+# Keep this at the bottom of the file
+# Restores files marked as persistant
+# See persist_file in bash/helpers.sh 
 if [ $(bash bash/helpers.sh is_inited) == 1 ]; then
   bash bash/helpers.sh restore_persistent_files $GITPOD_REPO_ROOT
 fi
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/bash/init-gitpod.sh b/bash/init-gitpod.sh
index 91c15fa9..98ac842f 100644
--- a/bash/init-gitpod.sh
+++ b/bash/init-gitpod.sh
@@ -30,18 +30,18 @@ stop_spinner $?
 
 # Move Laravel project files if they are not already in version control
 if [ ! -d "$GITPOD_REPO_ROOT/vendor" ]; then
-  msg="\nMoving Laravel project from ~/temp-app to $GITPOD_REPO_ROOT using rsync"
+  msg="\nrsync Laravel project from ~/temp-app to $GITPOD_REPO_ROOT"
   # TODO: replace spinner with a real progress bar for coreutils
-  log_silent "$msg" && start_spinner "$msg"
+  log_silent "$msg..." && start_spinner "$msg..."
   shopt -s dotglob
   rsync -rlptgoD --ignore-existing ~/test-app/ $GITPOD_REPO_ROOT
   err_code=$?
   if [ $err_code != 0 ]; then
     stop_spinner $err_code
-    log "ERROR: Failed to move Laravel project from ~/temp-app to $GITPOD_REPO_ROOT using rsync" -e
+    log "ERROR: Failed to rsync Laravel project from ~/temp-app to $GITPOD_REPO_ROOT" -e
   else
     stop_spinner $err_code
-    log "SUCCESS: moved Laravel project from ~/temp-app to $GITPOD_REPO_ROOT using rsync"
+    log "SUCCESS: rsync Laravel project from ~/temp-app to $GITPOD_REPO_ROOT"
   fi
 
   # BEGIN: parse configurations
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ if [ ! -d "$GITPOD_REPO_ROOT/vendor" ]; then
   __laravel_db_exists=$(mysqlshow  2>/dev/null | grep laravel >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo "1" || echo "0")
   if [ $__laravel_db_exists == 0 ]; then
     __laravel_db_msg="laravel database did not exist in mysql. Creating database: laravel"
-    log_silent "$__laravel_db_msg" && start_spinner "$__laravel_db_msg"
+    log_silent "$__laravel_db_msg..." && start_spinner "$__laravel_db_msg..."
     mysql -e "CREATE DATABASE laravel;"
     err_code=$?
     if [ $err_code != 0 ]; then
diff --git a/bash/init-rake-tasks.sh b/bash/init-rake-tasks.sh
index 964ba6f6..9ee22417 100644
--- a/bash/init-rake-tasks.sh
+++ b/bash/init-rake-tasks.sh
@@ -30,12 +30,12 @@ EOF
 }
 # END: dynamic rake task functions
 
-# BEGIN: conditionally add dynamic rake tasks 
-if [ "$(eval $parse github-changelog-generator install)" ]; then
+# BEGIN: add rake tasks
   add_changelog_rake
-  [ $? != 0 ] && exit 1
-fi
-# END: conditionally add dynamic rake tasks
+  if [ $? != 0 ]; then
+    exit 1
+  fi
+# END: add rake tasks
 
 
 
diff --git a/bash/snippets/grc/apache-log-colors b/bash/snippets/grc/apache-log-colors
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fa31b2c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bash/snippets/grc/apache-log-colors
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+# grc config file for apache log colors
+
+# ip number
+regexp=^\d{1,3}\.\d{1,3}\.\d{1,3}\.\d{1,3}
+colours=bold magenta
+count=once
+-
+# everything in brackets
+regexp=\[.+?\]
+colours=cyan
+count=once
+-
+# everything in ""
+regexp=\".+?\"
+colours=blue
+count=more
+-
+# HTTP Method
+regexp=(?:HEAD|GET|POST|PUT|DELETE)
+colours=bold blue
+count=once
+-
+# HTTP Path
+regexp=\s/[^\s]+
+colours=bold green
+count=once
+-
+# HTTP OK Status codes
+regexp=\s(?:10[01]|20[02467]|30[0123457])
+colours=green
+count=once
+-
+# HTTP Error status code
+regexp=\s(?:40[1-9]|41[1-8]|42[2-9]|431|444|450|50[2-9]|599)
+colours=bold red
+count=once
+-
+# Request byte size
+regexp=\s(?!(?:10[01]|20[02467]|30[0123457])|(?:40[1-9]|41[1-8]|42[2-9]|431|444|450|50[2-9]|599))\d+
+colours=yellow
+count=once
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/bash/snippets/server-functions b/bash/snippets/server-functions
index 5931dc21..b5d1ba99 100644
--- a/bash/snippets/server-functions
+++ b/bash/snippets/server-functions
@@ -1,19 +1,49 @@
-mtail_apache () {
+mtail_apache() {
   multitail /var/log/apache2/access.log -I /var/log/apache2/error.log;
 }
 
+tail_apache() {
+  # See bash/before-tasks.sh for setup of ~/apache-log-colors.conf
+  grc -c /home/gitpod/apache-log-colors.conf tail -f /var/log/apache2/access.log /var/log/apache2/error.log
+}
+
 start_apache() {
   apachectl start
   (( $? == 0 )) || return
-  mtail_apache
+  local log_monitor_type="$(bash \
+  $GITPOD_REPO_ROOT/bash/utils.sh parse_ini_value starter.ini development apache_log_monitor)"
+  case "$log_monitor_type" in
+    'tail')
+    tail_apache
+    ;;
+    'multitail')
+    mtail_apache
+    ;;
+    *)
+    echo "ERROR start_apache: invalid apache_log_monitor type: $log_monitor_type. Check your starter.ini"
+    ;;
+  esac
 }
 
 stop_apache() {
   apachectl stop
   (( $? == 0 )) || return
   local pid
-  # The grep string here must match the command given in the function start_apache
-  pid=$(ps axf | grep 'multitail /var/log/apache2/access.log -I /var/log/apache2/error.log' | grep -v grep | awk '{print $1}' | sed 1q)
+  local log_monitor_type="$(bash \
+  $GITPOD_REPO_ROOT/bash/utils.sh parse_ini_value starter.ini development apache_log_monitor)"
+  case "$log_monitor_type" in
+    'tail')
+    # The grep string here must match the tail portion of the command given in the function start_apache
+    pid=$(ps axf | grep 'tail -f /var/log/apache2/access.log /var/log/apache2/error.log' | grep -v grep | awk '{print $1}' | sed 1q)
+    ;;
+    'multitail')
+    # The grep string here must match the command given in the function start_apache
+    pid=$(ps axf | grep 'multitail /var/log/apache2/access.log -I /var/log/apache2/error.log' | grep -v grep | awk '{print $1}' | sed 1q)
+    ;;
+    *)
+    echo "ERROR start_apache: invalid apache_log_monitor type: $log_monitor_type. Check your starter.ini"
+    ;;
+  esac
   kill -2 $pid
 }
 
diff --git a/starter.ini b/starter.ini
index c48e0d4a..2ea7c9cf 100644
--- a/starter.ini
+++ b/starter.ini
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@
 [development]
 # Valid values: apache, php
 default_server=apache
+# Valid values are tail (uses grc) and multitail
+apache_log_monitor=multitail
 
 [.editorconfig]
 # valid values are: