Starting applications at logon time

[Ken Chamberlain]

Is there anyway to automatically start applications when logging on to
the graphical logon (X, gnome or KDE or whatever)?  By that I mean when
you logon via the graphical logon screen into X (Gnome or KDE), having
x-apps like gaim and evolution automatically start.  I know about
~/.bash_profile, but if I put something in there it would also start
when I ssh or scp into that host (which I don't want).  I was thinking
along the lines of windows idea of Start > Programs > Startup, but it
doesn't need to be that easy.

Any ideas? 
-- 
Ken Chamberlain
University of Toronto
phone:416-978-1582
email:ken.chamberlain at utoronto.ca