OS X Installers
This is a collection of some build scripts that will download what I need, and create OS X pkg files, so I don't have to manually compile everything when I change machines. As I do most of my work in VMs, I don't need a lot -- basically libraries to support Python, PostgreSQL and GnuPG.
Usage
Just run the relevant build script from scripts, and the package will appear in the pkg subdirectory. The only time you'll need privileges is when installing the actual .pkg file, like a normal OS X user. Described below is the order for building:
Build and install GnuPG:
./scripts/gnupg.sh && sudo installer -pkg pkg/gnupg.pkg -target /
Now do basic libraries, starting with pkg-config:
for pkg in pkg-config readline xz; do
./scripts/${pkg}.sh
sudo installer -pkg pkg/${pkg}.pkg -target /
done
GnuTLS and its prereqs are needed for Emacs:
for pkg in gmp nettle gettext gnutls jansson; do
./scripts/${pkg}.sh
sudo installer -pkg pkg/${pkg}.pkg -target /
done
Emacs is built as a normal macOS app:
./scripts/emacs.sh
# Drag pkg/emacs/27.2/Emacs.app /Applications
OpenSSL is required for Python and PostgreSQL:
./scripts/openssl.sh && sudo installer -pkg pkg/openssl.pkg -target /
Why not alternatives?
In short, I don't like them all. MacPorts and Fink (yes I'm old, you hipsters) have pretty much gone stale. I don't like the paths used by pkgsrc, and I don't feel like patching their build system to put in /usr/local. I consider all those superior to what's, unfortunately, considered the standard for devs on the Mac: Homebrew, here's why:
- The insane recommendation of a directory in the system's
PATHwritable by the main user, and then having the audacity of calling it a "security" feature. - The symlinking of binaries to versioned directories in
Cellar. This great idea has been used by such other package luminaries like SCO Unix. - Questionable patches as part of the build recipes.
- Nothing is GPG-signed or verified.
- It's undependable, especially when upgrading versions.
- I got burned in the early days of GeoDjango by the author's aggressive use of compilation optimization flags, which caused me and my users countless hours of angst.
I concede that I got building hints from its recipes. I'm grateful to the Homebrew maintainers for that. However, I'm just too philosphically opposed to let it get near my /usr/local.