As a Radio Amateur ('Ham', ZL2DEX) I do a lot of experimenting. This often involves re-booting my Raspberry Pi (3B). As an example, at present I am working to get my BITX40 kit functioning properly and modified to my standard of 'usability'. Doing this, I have the Pi with Firefox browser running with tabs open (Firefox remembers and asks "restore?") to both circuit and wiring diagrams at http://hfsigs.com. I also use the pi as a 'getter' for file-sharing, so aMule and/or deluge are running, and I keep an eye on the Ham APRS with Xastir (arguably the very best client out there, probably the only Linux one doing Messaging!).
Now I can't do this all on the one Desktop, so I configure with 4 (one each for these, and a spare for 'incidentals'). The Pi boots up fine with these 4 desktops available, and with enough 'grunt' to do it all! (incidentally, did you realise that Linux has a permanent case of VD? Virtual Desktops! They're always there, just like the multiple logins accessible with Alt-F2 to 6
), but all those programs have to be manually restored to (their) separate desktops. My 'workhorse' computer (I'm using that to write this; an i3 Tower running Kubuntu) does this automatically with a configuration to 'restore session'. It took a while to get it working properly, but it's been so for quite a while now. Is there a possibility of a 'run on boot' script to stoke these (or others' selection of) programs up in (say) a specified order with desktop numbers as an 'argument'? I'd venture the Kubuntu system I've outlined above is likely too much effort and resource-hungry to implement in Raspbian, though they share the same Debian basis.Hopefully something to consider ...
p.s. With Xastir (perhaps interacting with VNC), Raspbian Stretch's Panel disappears. I'm not the only one to notice this, and like others I've reverted to Jessie. I'll be watching to see if and when there's an update ...
Thanks in advance, your efforts are well appreciated ...