[newbie] Starting Programs at Startup

[michael . thorp]

I'm new at using mandrake linux.  I've been trying to figure out how to get a program 
to start when the computer starts up.  In DOS, this can be done in the autoexec.bat 
program.  Is there a similar startup file in linux?  What would be the syntax to use 
when starting a program this way?  Thanks for the help

Mike