I just committed a Metacity patch to CVS to add support for
_NET_WM_USER_TIME. Unfortunately, due to bugs in current application
launchers using startup notification (e.g. the panel and nautilus),
this means that all applications launched with these launchers will
show up unfocused and behind the focused window. Applying the
patches^Wugly hacks in bug 136278 and
bug
144897 will fix that (even if they do so The Wrong Way(tm)).