diff -u bwbar-1.2.3/bwbar.c bwbar-1.2.3.new/bwbar.c
--- bwbar-1.2.3/bwbar.c	2006-08-26 18:31:26.000000000 +0200
+++ bwbar-1.2.3.new/bwbar.c	2008-09-01 11:30:41.000000000 +0200
@@ -156,6 +156,7 @@
   { "kbps",         0, 0, 'k' },
   { "Mbps",         0, 0, 'M' },
   { "Gbps",         0, 0, 'G' },
+  { "Daemon",       0, 0, 'D' },
   { "help",         0, 0, 'h' },
   { 0, 0, 0, 0 }
 };
@@ -178,6 +179,7 @@
 	  "   --kbps                -k   Bandwidth is measured in kbit/s\n"
 	  "   --Mbps                -M   Bandwidth is measured in Mbit/s (default)\n"
 	  "   --Gbps                -G   Bandwidth is measured in Gbit/s\n"
+	  "   --Daemon              -D   Run as daemon\n"
 	  "   --help                -h   Display this text\n",
 	  program);
   exit(err);
@@ -211,10 +213,11 @@
   int width = 600;		/* Bar width */
   int height = 4;		/* Bar height */
   int border = 1;		/* Bar border */
+  int daemon_mode = 0;          /* run as daemon */
 
   program = argv[0];
 
-  while ( (opt = getopt_long(argc, argv, "iof:p:t:x:y:b:kMGh", longopts, NULL)) != -1 ) {
+  while ( (opt = getopt_long(argc, argv, "iof:p:t:x:y:b:kMGhD", longopts, NULL)) != -1 ) {
     switch ( opt ) {
     case 'i':
       measure_input = 1;
@@ -252,6 +255,9 @@
       unit = 1.0e+9;
       unit_name = "Gbit/s";
       break;
+    case 'D':
+      daemon_mode = 1;
+      break;
     case 'h':
       usage(0);
       break;
@@ -279,6 +285,11 @@
   first = 1;
   lbin = 0; lbout = 0;
 
+  if ( daemon_mode == 1) {
+    if ( fork() != 0)
+      return 0;
+  }
+ 
   gettimeofday(&t_last, NULL);
   
   while ( 1 ) {