Mac has already made it very difficult to install software from so called “third party” sources (I.e., not the app store). You have to turn off some so called “security” features to do this, which involves some use of the terminal. IMO, this is where most “regular” users are lost already from using any open source alternatives on Mac. The situation on Windows is a little better, if not perfect either. I’m not saying FOSS should totally abandon Mac, but Apple is, IMO, purposefully making it difficult. Since various Linux OS are so easy to install, and since there are now more manufacturers than ever selling computers with Linux preinstalled, I think it only makes sense for FOSS development teams to put their major efforts towards the systems that will work best and attract the most users: Linux and Windows.
(PS. I regularly teach a university class that requires students to install several pieces of FOSS on their own laptops. Every semester, it’s the Mac computers that have the most issues just trying to get things installed. )
I did not say linux can not be used in a professional environment. But I know quite a few artists who prefer to stay on Mac for their work. And they have tried hard to work on linux.
I won’t judge them about it. In the end everyone should work where they are happy.
And the discussion should not be about switching those people to linux, but if we want our tools to be available on mac as before. And if we can keep them fast speed wise to keep up with commercial tools.
Devs have just as much work with changes in the opensource eco system as they have with changes in commercial platforms. Just look how long it took many opensource projects to migrate to GTK3. or Qt5
Man, I wish I had a little time to learn how to make on OSX package of GIMP. I must check the downloads page at least twice a day. I know I could probably build one, but there’s already so much on my plate. If someone does make a DMG anytime soon; we should all give that person a hundred dollars each! I’m sure we all could do better supporting our favorite open projects.
No one should be without the GIMP… Not even on OSX!
People could use Halide, which can output to whatever backend API, like OpenCL, OpenGL, CUDA, CPU vectorized instructions, Arm NEON, Qualcomm Hexagon DSP…
I am building an experimental DMG package available from here.
As the release page states, this is not a package that is officially supported by the GIMP team, although at least part of my scripts might be used in future in the GIMP CI system.
The only issue I am aware of at the moment is that python plug-ins do not (yet) work properly, but I can put some effort into that if needed.
Notice that the whole building and packaging process happens on Travis-CI and on single-use virtual machines, to guarantee a sufficiently high level of security of the packages.
As for the money, feel free to use the paypal link on my personal blog …
Seriously speaking, if the package works OK for you (and other MAC users) then this might accelerate the integration process in the GIMP CI system. For issues, please report them preferentially here.
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