Some new programs install ok, but when I launch them, I can't see them.

[Paul]

Some new programs install ok, but when I launch them, I can't see them even though using the alt+tab shows them active. When I highlight them, they don't appear. Even the programs I get from ubuntu using the software center as well as from outside sources.
I'm using Ubuntu 14.04 4gig memory an i5 quad core 2.8/core. Any advice you you could give me will be greatly appreciated. Best Regards - Paul

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: ubuntu-release-upgrader-core 1:0.220.2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-32.57-generic 3.13.11.4
Uname: Linux 3.13.0-32-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.3
Architecture: amd64
CrashDB: ubuntu
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Sun Aug 10 13:04:55 2014
InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-07-29 (12 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release amd64 (20140722.2)
PackageArchitecture: all
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_US
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: ubuntu-release-upgrader
Symptom: dist-upgrade
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)