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I was comparing it with wpa_supplicant, which if you setup runs automatically at bootup independent of which window manager you use, or if you even use X11. On the other hand at least in ubuntu and debian, installing XMonad and choosing it at gdm means that NetworkManager does not bring up the wireless.

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NM 0.8 allows you to make a connection system-wide, so it is not dependent on the nm-applet running (it writes keys in /etc, otherwise, wireless passwords are stored in user's keyring) and it connects to that network whenever it's available. (It's the same with wired ethernet connections, they are also managed with NM, yet you don't need nm-applet, when you plug the cable in, there's a system Eth profile, which just runs DHCP query and connects you; only if you wanted a static IP or some other different setting, you'd have to make your own connection profile or change the system-wide one).

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