if your X is hung (ie, NOT "linux"), why not switch to a VC and fix it? yes, it's good to know about magic-sysrq, but most people don't even understand the layering of X on a VC, and the fact that other VCs are available.
of course, fixing why your X hung would be wise too, since for any normal distro and mainstream hardware, that's just not going to happen. if you really want to be fubar, have that f@cking POS systemd die on you... (yes, on-topic, since only sysrq saves the day.)
More often than not, it's your WM, DE or a GUI application eating up your RAM (Chromium used to be deadly for this) that's causing the freeze.
In more than a decade of running Linux on my desktop (and at work), I genuinely can't think of a single instance when I've not been able to pull a virtual console from a frozen desktop (albeit it often performs laggy).
Thanks for trying to diagnose my computer over a web forum, but I am competent enough to identify when and how my computer has failed. I'm not interested anecdotes from users. I develop video drivers. Am I allowed to experience these lockups now?
Firstly, I'm not just a Linux user. Like you, I'm a developer too. Given the demographic of this forum, it would pay for you not to assume that you're the only one on here that works in the industry (in fact I even hinted at that when I said I use Linux at work - but never mind)
Secondly, I was making a general comment about peoples desktops rather than talking specifically about your example (given the lack of details you posted, it would be insane of me to assume I could diagnose your fault with any precision). My point was that generally when people think their computer has locked up / X has crashed, it's actually one of the items I mentioned earlier that's at fault.
The snappy reply was appreciated though </sarcasm>. But given just how unusual your circumstances are (assuming what you said is true) and how much you seem to hate it when others discuss these topics with you; it might be an idea if you clarify your position a little better the next time such a topic arises. Like maybe saying "my crashes aren't typical because I'm a kernel developer, but.....". This way people don't accidentally post something that hits one of those raw nerves you have and it saves us all from a lot of unnecessary condescension.
When I learned this trick, it was because an X input driver was locking up[0]. The virtual consoles were completely inaccessible. Occasionally it would show me a blank screen for my efforts, but more often not even SysRq would work.
[0] I'm actually not 100% sure about that. Thank God I don't have to worry about it anymore.
of course, fixing why your X hung would be wise too, since for any normal distro and mainstream hardware, that's just not going to happen. if you really want to be fubar, have that f@cking POS systemd die on you... (yes, on-topic, since only sysrq saves the day.)