Ok, so I've confirmed that a) this is not due to my dotfiles, I've reproduced it on the same machine with a freshly created user. b) this is a gnome not X or xmodmap problem as if I start a 'failsafe terminal' session, xmodmap works fine. Reassigning to control-centre as discussed with Seb.
** Changed in: xmodmap (Ubuntu) Sourcepackagename: xmodmap => control-center -- xmodmap doesn't work in feisty https://launchpad.net/bugs/86904 -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs