[SWLUG] Open source on Mac

[john levin]

Rhys Hardwick wrote:
> Dear all,
> 
> I am now the proud owner of a MacBook Pro :)  I am using Mac OSX, as  
> it is so lovely, but I am really missing my open source software.  I  
> realise most of it is available as ports, but a lot of the command  
> line stuff isn't, as well as some graphical apps.
> 
> I have tried Fink before, but heard that is not so active at the  
> moment.  I have also been reading a bit about gentoo on mac, but  
> haven't heard of anyone I know using it.
> 
> Does anyone here have any experience using any of these systems?   
> Anyone have any recommendations?
> 
> Rhys

Have you tried the Darwin Ports project?
http://darwinports.opendarwin.org/
I think it is the most active of the ports systems, though I preferred 
Fink (which is still going; see for example http://www.racoonfink.com/, 
wheere you can also get OS X native KDE4 alphas.)

The gentoo for os x project appears dormant
http://www.metadistribution.org/macos/

The Free Software Mac Users Group is v. useful for tracking floss apps.
http://www.freesmug.org/

Personally, as I've just got a MacBook Pro, I'm going the virtualization 
root, running Ubuntu via Parallels.

HTH

John