Issue with fast-user-switcher-applet

[Peter Tenenbaum <peter.g.tenenbaum@gmail.com>]

Hi, everyone -- 

I'm having an issue with the fast-user-switcher-applet (2.24.0) on squeeze.  The problem is this:  every so often, it stops switching!  I left-click on it on the panel, pull down to the user I want to switch to, and -- nothing happens.  It seems to be a problem with the applet itself, since I can get it to work correctly again by removing the applet from the panel and reattaching it.

So, two questions:

First, does anyone else have this problem?  I don't see any Debian bugs with fast-user-switcher-applet, but I may not be searching correctly.  I'm reluctant to enter a bug report for something which I can't reliably reproduce and which nobody else has seen (to me, that's more of a UFO sighting than a bug report).

Second:  is there a command I can use at the command line to switch between multiple users who are logged in and running gnome, without the need of passwords?  In other words, I'd like to replicate the FUSA functionality with a linux command if possible.  We really only have 2 accounts here (mine and my wife's), so I could put a shortcut on her menus or desktop which switches to me, and one on mine which switches to her.

Thanks in advance for any help or advice,
-PT