I am using nm-applet to interface with NetworkManager, running xmonad as a window manager. My X sessions (including nm-applet) are set up with a /usr/local/bin/xmonad.start script. My question is, how can I keep nm-applet running in the background as long as X is running, but not necessarily xmonad? As mentioned above, it is being started with xmonad (and dying with it when xmonad is restarted, etc). I am using gdm to manage my X sessions, and I'm running 10.10. Where's a good place to start nm-applet to suit my particular needs? I need to remove it from the control of xmonad, but don't know where to start it otherwise. Any help, tips, etc appreciated. Edit: problem seems to be with how I have integrated xmonad. I have the session script as a file in /usr/share/xsessions/xmonad.desktop with the following contents: [Desktop Entry] Encoding=UTF-8 Name=XMonad Comment=Lightweight tiling window manager Exec=/usr/local/bin/xmonad.start Icon=xmonad.png Type=XSession /usr/local/bin/xmonad.start contains the following: #!/bin/bash xrdb -merge ~/.Xresources xcompmgr -c & trayer --edge top --align right --SetDockType true --SetPartialStrut true --expand true --width 8 --heighttype pixel --height 18 --transparent true --alpha 0 --tint 0x000000 & gnome-settings-daemon & gnome-screensaver & if [ -x /usr/bin/nm-applet ] ; then nm-applet --sm-disable & fi /usr/bin/urxvtd -q -o -f & eval `ssh-agent` & if [ -x /usr/bin/gnome-power-manager ] ; then sleep 1 gnome-power-manager & fi /usr/bin/gnome-volume-control-applet & exec xmonad The question is how do I integrate xmonad, gdm, X, etc in such a manner to replicate the behavior I currently have except with nm-applet (and possibly other programs) running whether or not xmonad is?