How Can I Automatically Run Firefox On Ubuntu Server System Startup?

How do I automatically run Firefox on an Ubuntu Server inside the Amazon EC2 cloud as soon as the server starts up?

I know how to create my own AMIs and all that jazz. I just need to know how to auto-start firefox.

The Ubuntu Edition is 8.04 Hardy. The server environment is Amazon EC2.

From serverfault darkAsPitch

• Well, you could add the line

  /usr/bin/firefox &

  to the file

  /etc/rc.local

  That's the literal answer. Whether that does anything useful, well....

  PP : Or in .bash_profile if it is for a particular user upon log-in; might be useful to test whether the session supports X windows..

  darkAsPitch : Paul, do I not have to specify a user account as well? I tried this, rebooted, and still firefox only starts when I login via NX server, not on system boot.

  Ernie : This would start Firefox as the root user.
  From

• Would an init.d script launching gnome-session as the user who has firefox as a startup program work?

  From darkAsPitch

• If you are using gnome. system > preferences > start up applications

  add firefox and it will start with that session every time you login. Just like windows.

  darkAsPitch : You are right, it will start if I actually connect to it graphically. I need the GUI/Gnome part of ubuntu to start whether I connect to it or not. This seems to be pretty tough on linux. It's easy as pie in windows - GUI starts up whether I am viewing it or not.

  egorgry : Sorry. I'm having a very hard time getting my head around what you're trying to accomplish. Do you want to export that display (firefox) out to another console.
  From egorgry

• Judging from the comments to the original question, and you just want some sort of GUI, isn't vnc-server the obvious solution?

  Matt Simmons : You can script vncserver to launch upon start up...or cron it, or whatever you want.
  From Matt Simmons