Windows are not displayed when client application is run

[Kiri]

Binary package hint: maximus

When starting a client application, the client runs but its window is not displayed and it does not have a taskbar entry.
The 'ps' command shows that the client is running.

I estimate this bug happens at random approximately 1/100 of client starts.
I have been unable to associate the occurrence with any activity or event on the computer, such as other applications running or prior occurrence of a different bug.

In fact, i think (I am uncertain) that maximus reports the window as openned in .xsession-errors. Here is a sample:
** (maximus:2103): DEBUG: Window opened: res_name=Grpn -- class_name=grpn

I have run Gnome without Maximus and have not observed the bug.

This appears not to be Bug #364921.
I am not using NetBook-Launcher. The window manager is Metacity.

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: i386
Date: Sun Dec 20 15:37:34 2009
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
GConfNonDefault: /apps/maximus/no_maximize=false
Package: maximus 0.4.14-0ubuntu1
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-16.53-generic
SourcePackage: maximus
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-16-generic i686
XsessionErrors:
 (gnome-settings-daemon:2026): GLib-CRITICAL **: g_propagate_error: assertion `src != NULL' failed
 (gnome-settings-daemon:2026): GLib-CRITICAL **: g_propagate_error: assertion `src != NULL' failed
 (nautilus:2104): Eel-CRITICAL **: eel_preferences_get_boolean: assertion `preferences_is_initialized ()' failed
 (polkit-gnome-authentication-agent-1:2117): GLib-CRITICAL **: g_once_init_leave: assertion `initialization_value != 0' failed
 (nautilus:2406): Eel-CRITICAL **: eel_preferences_get_boolean: assertion `preferences_is_initialized ()' failed

[Kiri (kiri)]

Perhaps a pattern: As far as I can recall, this bug only appears when applications which have no open window would open one. An application which has an open window has never not succeeded in opening an additional one.