# Solved: Macports



## livefortoday6491 (Apr 25, 2009)

Macports what is it and what do they do also will it help run Windows software not available on the Mac. Can anyone advise please?


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## Headrush (Feb 9, 2005)

The Macports web page explains it best probably:


> The MacPorts Project is an open-source community initiative to design an easy-to-use system for compiling, installing, and upgrading either command-line, X11 or Aqua based open-source software on the Mac OS X operating system


Basically you are going to compile software that you frequently see with Linux.

If you want to run Windows based apps, you basically have 3 options:

1) Dual boot and install Windows on your machine also. You can choose at boot time which to use.
2) Get software that creates a virtual Windows environment which runs inside OS X. Currently your options are *VMware Fusion*, *Parallel's Desktop*, and *Virtualbox*
3) Use a windows API wrapper to run Windows apps. Google *Wine* or even better *Wineskin*

With options 1 & 2 you are running a full Windows installation so you need a copy of Windows.
With option 3, you are just providing Windows APIs to run _some_ programs.

Option 1 has the best compatibility, since it the same as any PC system.
Option 2 has quite high compatibility with many applications. There re options in these programs to hide the Windows environment and Windows programs appear like OS X apps.
Option 3 has lower compatibility but for many programs it works great as fast. Many 3D games use this option.


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## livefortoday6491 (Apr 25, 2009)

Thanks you for your in depth reply. I think I will leave Macport alone for now but Wineskin look promising. I will mark this tread solved now.


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## Headrush (Feb 9, 2005)

livefortoday6491 said:


> Thanks you for your in depth reply. I think I will leave Macport alone for now but Wineskin look promising. I will mark this tread solved now.


I use Wineskin myself for a select few games I occasionally play, and use Parallels for anything else I might need for Windows only situations.


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## livefortoday6491 (Apr 25, 2009)

I will persevere with Wineskin, although I have used Parallels which is good but I don't want to keep buying Windows as I only use it for one app, Sopcast, (if only they would do a Mac version). Many thanks again!


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## livefortoday6491 (Apr 25, 2009)

I am trying Wineskin but I am finding that when I install IE 7 it says it needs to find the path to the exe file but I am not sure where to look. I have tried the obvious but none are acceptable. Can anyone help please?


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## DoubleHelix (Dec 10, 2004)

You probably picked the one program that isn't going to work. Why on earth would you want to run Internet Explorer on a Mac? You have Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Opera. IE isn't available as a stand-alone program. It's integrated with Windows.


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## livefortoday6491 (Apr 25, 2009)

It has to be a Windows browser in the wrapper, so with this in mind I have found only IE opens Sopcast. I will try another one such as Firefox. Working with VLC through Sopcast might be required I feel.


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## DoubleHelix (Dec 10, 2004)

livefortoday6491 said:


> *It has to be a Windows browser in the wrapper*, so with this in mind I have found only IE opens Sopcast. I will try another one such as Firefox. Working with VLC through Sopcast might be required I feel.


I have absolutely no idea what this statement means. Sopcast appears to be P2P TV allowing illegal broadcasts of programs. You probably don't want to ask for help with things like that.


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## Headrush (Feb 9, 2005)

livefortoday6491 said:


> It has to be a Windows browser in the wrapper, so with this in mind I have found only IE opens Sopcast. I will try another one such as Firefox. Working with VLC through Sopcast might be required I feel.


If you want to install IE, Firefox, or Safari for Windows in the wrapper, you need to use Winetools to install it.
Inside the wrapper, if you start WineSkin and then look in the advanced tab, you'll see winetools.


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## livefortoday6491 (Apr 25, 2009)

Thank you for the info I will mark it solved now.


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