Killing a process when desktop hang

[Haines Brown]

> 
> Ctrl-Alt-F1 will bring you to a text login (F1 - F6 are configured
> this way). When you're done killing your processes, you can go back
> into Gnome by hitting Ctrl-Alt-F7 (Default for xwindows in Ubuntu) 
> 
> -Anderson

Thanks for the suggestion, but the problem is that my entire desktop
is hung, not just the application. C-M-F3 does not take me to a
console, and C-M-BkSp does not shut down the X server. 

I'm setting ubuntu up for my wife, but on my own machine I've avoided
desktop managers and have only a window manager. This is why I'm
unfamiliar with how to deal with desktop hangs.  

If I can't get to a console and can't shut down the X server because
the machine is not responding to keyboard input, I'm not sure what to
do. Years ago one simply did a dirty shutdown by powering off, but
naturally I want to avoid that if at all possible.    

-- 
 
       Haines Brown
         KB1GRM
         ET1(SS) U.S.S. Irex 482