[wplug] Setting up environment variables

[Jay]

Over the past six months or so, after re-doing my system and setting up a
user name especially for WPLUG mail list, I participated in the mailing list by posting comments and help requests.  I never suspected that my email messages were not making it out through the Exim server.  However, that was the case--I forgot to include the user name "wplug" in the mail group. I was wondering why my post remained unanswered.  I must be losing it more that I suspected.  This is further supported by the fact that I spent the entire day trying to create an environment variable.  Would someone please help a person who may be on the verge ofmental collapse.  I just rebuilt my kernel and installed the latest Nvidia drivers.  I need to set up the environmental variables to take advantage of such stuff as full screen antialiasing.  I am running Debian.  I know how to export the variable with commands such as:
export __GL_FSAA_MODE=4
However, I don't know the proper file to place the command so that it is
executed before XFree86 gdm login.  I placed the command in the following places:
~/.bash_profile
/etc/profile
/etc/rc2.d/S99gdm
/etc/init.d/gdm
Currently, it was necessary for me to disable gdm login and use startx
from the shell to get the environment variables into X.
Would someone please advise me.
Thanks for the help.
Jay
PS  If you are using Debian, I found it much easier to install the
Nvidia drivers using the Nvidia way as opposed to the Debian way.