Comment 3 for bug 377220

Bounce back.

http://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ap-pkg-diversions.html
Before deciding to use a diversion, read Alternative versions of an interface - update-alternatives (from old Packaging Manual), Appendix F to see if you really want a diversion rather than several alternative versions of a program.

http://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ap-pkg-alternatives.html
When several packages all provide different versions of the same program or file it is useful to have the system select a default, but to allow the system administrator to change it and have their decisions respected.

Clearly this is a case where several packages ought to provide the same file (but currently don't due to missing implementation).

Also, form a user point of view one ought to be able to have ubuntu-desktop and kubuntu-desktop installed, but still use GNOME as main desktop and therefore set the splash to the brownish one.
Since remixes could, technically, also wish to have their own branded version of the splash, it could become really nasty. Like kubuntu-default-settings diverts and xubuntu-default-settings (which is installed as well) diverts that and foobar-default-settings (which happens to enhance the xubuntu settings) diverts that... \o/

alternatives > diverts for a reason