help.ubuntu.com/community/Devilspie
ubuntu-tutorials.com/2007/07/25/how-to-s...ow-effects-in-gnome/
foosel.org/linux/devilspie

1. I installed the devilspie application from a terminal:

sudo apt-get install devilspie

2. Check the box to start Devilspie automatically in System >
Preferences > Startup Applications in 10.04. Re-login to auto start devilspie,
or run the command 'devilspie' in a terminal for now.

3. Make a subdirectory in your home directory called .devilspie:

mkdir .devilspie

4. Using a text editor (like gedit) create a file called axis.ds
with the following contents in the directory created in step #3:

(if
(is (window_class) "Axis")
(begin
(maximize)
)
)

5. Now when Axis is started, it is automatically maximized!