=== modified file 'modules/node/node.module'
--- modules/node/node.module	2009-01-08 09:00:13 +0000
+++ modules/node/node.module	2009-01-08 22:54:28 +0000
@@ -1916,21 +1916,12 @@
     $feed_url = url('rss.xml', array('absolute' => TRUE));
     drupal_add_feed($feed_url, variable_get('site_name', 'Drupal') . ' ' . t('RSS'));
     $output .= theme('pager', NULL, variable_get('default_nodes_main', 10));
+    drupal_set_title('');
   }
   else {
-    $default_message = '<h1 class="title">' . t('Welcome to your new Drupal website!') . '</h1>';
-    $default_message .= '<p>' . t('Please follow these steps to set up and start using your website:') . '</p>';
-    $default_message .= '<ol>';
-    $default_message .= '<li>' . t('<strong>Configure your website</strong> Once logged in, visit the <a href="@admin">administration section</a>, where you can <a href="@config">customize and configure</a> all aspects of your website.', array('@admin' => url('admin'), '@config' => url('admin/settings'))) . '</li>';
-    $default_message .= '<li>' . t('<strong>Enable additional functionality</strong> Next, visit the <a href="@modules">module list</a> and enable features which suit your specific needs. You can find additional modules in the <a href="@download_modules">Drupal modules download section</a>.', array('@modules' => url('admin/build/modules'), '@download_modules' => 'http://drupal.org/project/modules')) . '</li>';
-    $default_message .= '<li>' . t('<strong>Customize your website design</strong> To change the "look and feel" of your website, visit the <a href="@themes">themes section</a>. You may choose from one of the included themes or download additional themes from the <a href="@download_themes">Drupal themes download section</a>.', array('@themes' => url('admin/build/themes'), '@download_themes' => 'http://drupal.org/project/themes')) . '</li>';
-    $default_message .= '<li>' . t('<strong>Start posting content</strong> Finally, you can <a href="@content">create content</a> for your website. This message will disappear once you have promoted a post to the front page.', array('@content' => url('node/add'))) . '</li>';
-    $default_message .= '</ol>';
-    $default_message .= '<p>' . t('For more information, please refer to the <a href="@help">help section</a>, or the <a href="@handbook">online Drupal handbooks</a>. You may also post at the <a href="@forum">Drupal forum</a>, or view the wide range of <a href="@support">other support options</a> available.', array('@help' => url('admin/help'), '@handbook' => 'http://drupal.org/handbooks', '@forum' => 'http://drupal.org/forum', '@support' => 'http://drupal.org/support')) . '</p>';
-
-    $output = '<div id="first-time">' . $default_message . '</div>';
+    $_GET['q'] = drupal_get_normal_path(variable_get('site_empty_frontpage', 'admin/help'));
+    $output = menu_execute_active_handler();
   }
-  drupal_set_title('');
 
   return $output;
 }

=== modified file 'modules/system/system.admin.inc'
--- modules/system/system.admin.inc	2009-01-06 14:00:12 +0000
+++ modules/system/system.admin.inc	2009-01-08 11:51:34 +0000
@@ -1242,6 +1242,15 @@
     '#field_prefix' => url(NULL, array('absolute' => TRUE)) . (variable_get('clean_url', 0) ? '' : '?q='),
     '#required' => TRUE,
   );
+  $form['site_empty_frontpage'] = array(
+    '#type' => 'textfield',
+    '#title' => t('No content front page'),
+    '#default_value' => variable_get('site_empty_frontpage', 'admin/help'),
+    '#size' => 40,
+    '#description' => t('The home page displays this content if there are no promoted posts. If unsure, specify "admin/help".'),
+    '#field_prefix' => url(NULL, array('absolute' => TRUE)) . (variable_get('clean_url', 0) ? '' : '?q='),
+    '#required' => TRUE,
+  );
   $form['#validate'][] = 'system_site_information_settings_validate';
 
   return system_settings_form($form);
@@ -1265,6 +1274,17 @@
   if (!empty($item) && !menu_valid_path($item)) {
     form_set_error('site_frontpage', t("The path '@path' is either invalid or you do not have access to it.", array('@path' => $item['link_path'])));
   }
+
+  $item = array('link_path' => $form_state['values']['site_empty_frontpage']);
+  $normal_path = drupal_get_normal_path($item['link_path']);
+  if ($item['link_path'] != $normal_path) {
+    drupal_set_message(t('The menu system stores system paths only, but will use the URL alias for display. %link_path has been stored as %normal_path', array('%link_path' => $item['link_path'], '%normal_path' => $normal_path)));
+    $item['link_path'] = $normal_path;
+  }
+  $normal_path = drupal_get_normal_path($item['link_path']);
+  if (!empty($item) && !menu_valid_path($item)) {
+    form_set_error('site_empty+frontpage', t("The path '@path' is either invalid or you do not have access to it.", array('@path' => $item['link_path'])));
+  }
 }
 
 /**