Get Details of Running Applications on Terminal

ps -axc -o comm

• -a displays processes from all users (or root)
• -x includes processes that don't have a controlling terminal
• -o comm outputs command paths or names
• -c makes -o comm output names only

tell app "System Events" to name of application processes would list only processes launched from an application bundle.

You can use these wonderful bash functions from @slhck at Super User:

To connect to different VPNs, have multiple VPNs in Network.prefpane.

function vpn-connect {
/usr/bin/env osascript <<-EOF
tell application "System Events"
        tell current location of network preferences
                set VPN to service "UniVPN" -- your VPN name here
                if exists VPN then connect VPN
                repeat while (current configuration of VPN is not connected)
                    delay 1
                end repeat
        end tell
end tell
EOF
}

function vpn-disconnect {
/usr/bin/env osascript <<-EOF
tell application "System Events"
        tell current location of network preferences
                set VPN to service "UniVPN" -- your VPN name here
                if exists VPN then disconnect VPN
        end tell
end tell
return
EOF
}

^{Don't forget to change the name of the VPN.}