This has reared itself again in Karmic.
/etc/gdm/Xsession uses /bin/dash as its parser, but sets the $SHELL
environment variable to /bin/bash (!). This makes any ~/.profile that
uses bash-isms kill the gdm login process.
--
"shopt" xsession error upon login
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/60079
I consider this a serious bug. (Scenario 1: another laptop user logs
out*, closes the lid, and you find yourself without any battery power
for the rest of the day. Scenario 2: log out, close the laptop lid,
pack in luggage and the laptop overheats.)
There is a work-around fortunately. Edit /etc/
