Stop opened application grabbing keyboard

[Colin Law]

I am a recent convert to ubuntu (8.10) from windows and I am sorry to
say that I have found a minor aspect of the UI (using gnome) that
seems to be handled better by windows than by ubuntu.
If I open an application, such as an editor, and while it is opening I
go to an running application (terminal for example) and continue
typing then at some point my keyboard input is grabbed by the new
application so my input goes partly to the original app and partly to
the new one.  Though minor this does annoy me as I have to wait while
the new app opens rather than multitasking myself in an efficient
manner.
Is there any way around this?

Colin