Desktop launchs recent programs when logging in

[Mariano Kamp <mkamp@gmx.de>]

Hi,

  using Gnome with woody it always launches a couple of programs I
recently used (like xemacs, xterm etc.). It also does launch more
instances every time I login. 

  I greped through all directories starting with a dot for xterm and
xemacs, but haven't found anything. Where is stored what I recently
launched and what is the proper way to deal with it? Instead of logging
out I do usually su to root and use "halt" to shutdown the system. Is
this part of the problem?

Mariano