How do I Install Open Source/Linux Software on Mac OSX?
Submitted by: mpotter
Submitted on: October 2, 2005
There are two main repositories for open-source software on Mac OSX: Fink and OpenDarwin. This document describes the installation of Fink.
- Go to http://fink.sourceforge.net and click the download link in the left pane.
- Choose the link to download the appropriate version of the Fink Binary Installer for your version of Mac OSX. To check the version, Go to the Apple menu in the upper right-hand corner of your screen and choose "About This Mac".
- Run the installer from the disk image once it is downloaded. If a window doesn't automatically pop up, double-click the .dmg file to open it and run the installer with a filename like "Fink 0.8.0 Installer.pkg"
- Click "Continue" a few times and then "Agree" for the license agreement.
- Select the Destination hard drive for the installation. Many times there will only be one choice but the disk needs to be highlighted before you click Continue.
- Click Install to start the install process and enter your login password when prompted.
- As the installation completes you will see a window asking for permission to set up your shell environment. Allow this process, although you may have to manually configure your unix paths later. See the documentation on the Fink download page for more information.
Many programs that require Xwindows will need you to install X from the Apple CD. If you recieve the error "Error: Can't open display:" when you run the program, this may be the problem. You might also have to start X and run your program from the xterm it provides. Even though Fink may install a version of X from its repository, it is better to use Apple's version because it is better integrated with the Aqua window manager. Please see the separate FAQ document on how to install this.
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