because you practically have to distribute all apps as source on Linux
EH!? Dunno what backend distro you were using but with the main ones they have these things called packages. As i said before ive never needed to compile anything on Ubuntu. Simply installed the binary. I had to force restart.
Why? Thats just the X server, not the linux kernel. Ctrl+Alt+F1 is monitored independently and allows you to kill off the offending app, then ctrl+alt+f6 back into gnome. This has NEVER failed on the VERY rare occasion this has happened to me. I have never experienced the problems you have on any of my 6 machines.