Version:            (using KDE KDE 3.5.1)
Installed from:    Compiled From Sources

Since KDE 3.5 or maybe 3.4, kde processes cannot be started in the background on midnight commander's subshell.

Steps to reproduce:
1. Have an instance of midnight commander running.
2. Hit Ctrl+O to switch to the shell.
3. Enter 'kwrite <somefilethatexists> &' (note the trailing ampersand)

Expected results:
The prompt returns immediately and kwrite shows up.

Actual results:
The prompt returns immediately, but nothing happens. If you press enter after a few seconds, you read something like:

[2]+  Stopped                 kwrite tabbox.cpp

You can get it running by invoking "fg", but this in turn suspends mc.

This is a big problem as you cannot select a file in mc anymore and directly hand it over to kwrite (or any other kde application), while continue browsing in mc.