[1.4] Logoff that removes panel but not wm

[Elizabeth Barham <lizzy soggytrousers net>]

Hi,

   I'm working on a box that runs the main, stable distribution of
Debian/Linux with Gnome 1.4 as the default desktop; it is an older,
486 machine.

   Unfortunatly I am having some difficulty and basically due to
something I added to the distribution (probably gnome-applets), a new
account that goes into Gnome begins experiencing segmentation faults
of various applets as well as a dialog that mentions there is already
a Panel running. The segfaults repeat over and over and eventually I
determined that by modifying the
/etc/gnome/[SOMETHING]/Applet_Defaults (or something to that affect)
and deleting the new account's ~/.gnome directory, the applets that
are generating the segfaults can be removed from the new users' panel.

   All that remedies the repeating segfaults, but unfortunatly somehow
another weird error crept in and I am wondering how I should go about
remedying this particular problem. When this new user selects "Log
Out" instead of going all the way out so as to be greeted by GDM, the
panels disappear and a blank desktop is left in its place with only
the middle-button providing a response, and even then there is no menu
item to log out.

   How did I manage to do this and what do you suggest I change so as
the new user is able to log all the way out?

Sincerely,
Elizabeth