12.04 typeins are erratic

[bliffle]

When I'm trying to type in text in a message the focus will suddenly shift and the Unity window at the top of the screen opens and the system thinks I'm trying to type in a Unity command. Sometimes I have to hit <esc> repeatedly and sometimes I have to mouse back to my text location. It's driving me nuts.

It's 12.04 that I BTed from Ubuntu with all updates applied. This has been going on for months. I know I can start 'gnome-pael'

****there! It just did it! I tried to backarrow to fix the typo
and it put me into the Unity typein area.
*****

[bliffle]

The erratic performance of the UI is driving me away from Ubuntu after 7 years of determined usage. I just can't put up with this crazy GUI anymore.

[DeMus]

The erratic performance of the UI is driving me away from Ubuntu after 7 years of determined usage. I just can't put up with this crazy GUI anymore.

Do what I did the moment they started with Gnome 3 and with Unity:
jump to Kubuntu with the KDE desktop.
It's a wonderful distro, a great looking desktop, you can adjust it exactly the way you want to, and you don't get these annoying events you describe in your post.