Comment 18 for bug 916879

Here is a workaround this bug:

Install "compizconfig-settings-manager", run "ccsm", go to "Ubuntu Unity Plugin" -> Switcher and disable all key bindings.
Go to the main screen and enable "Static Application Switcher". (If you do it the other way around, you will get segfaults.)

No segfaults anymore and the Compiz switcher is much better than the Unity one anyway -- I never got used to switching among applications instead of windows, as I use a lot of terminals and a browser and I need to switch between *one* terminal (out of many) and a browser quickly. So I am very happy and all works for me.

Thanks goes to Štěpán Roučka for providing this tip at my G+ (https://plus.google.com/u/0/104039945248245758823/posts/eeQhPwaEYyj). That being said, if he didn't provide this feedback, I would have to either ditch Ubuntu and use Debian, or install xfce or gnome3.

Since this bug didn't show up before, only recently, it would be great if somebody close to Ubuntu development could figure out (and post here) how exactly it got in (as it seems it got in with some Ubuntu update to the released Oneiric distribution) and also how many people are affected by this (it seems it only happens for some people?).
In any case I truly believe that such a bug should never get into a released Ubuntu version.