Re: How to install Octave 4.0.1 on OS X Yosemite

[Adam Dershowitz]

> On Apr 16, 2016, at 5:29 AM, Sebastian Schöps <address@hidden> wrote:
> 
> Dear all, 
> 
> there is an extensive description here how to compile Octave via homebrew
> and how to make and distribute the binary as DMG:
> 
> http://wiki.octave.org/Create_a_MacOS_X_App_Bundle_Using_Homebrew
> 
> IMHO the advantages of Homebrew are that it tries to minimize the
> replication of libraries (the old octave binary based on macports was huge),
> the community is very friendly and it is developed by scientists for
> scientists. 
> 
> Sadly, the feedback from the Octave community for creating a Octave binary
> was not very enthusiastic. I posted a beta but I did not get much feedback
> (some of you may recall). Actually we had recently a sponsor who wanted to
> pay for the binary but nobody wanted to take the money. So, finally, I
> stopped working on the octave wikie page and binary. I am still maintaining
> the homebrew formula (4.0.1 is almost ready) and I am using the octave mac
> binary only internally at my university.
> 
> We could make a new attempt to update the wiki page and create a binary
> release but then I need to be sure that I get some help.
> 
> Bye
> Sebastian
> 
> 

I know that I was excited to find a binary of the beta, and have been looking 
for an update for a while.  Despite being a Macports user for many 
applications, including Octave, I would prefer to just have a working binary.  
My guess is that there is a chicken-and-egg problem.  Much of the current 
community knows how to build Octave, so doesn’t care about a binary.  
Meanwhile, there are a bunch of people who would want to use it, but don’t know 
anything about compiling or package managers, so they take a quick look, and 
give up.  So, they are not considered part of the “community".  
I’m sure that having available binaries would greatly increase the user base.  
So, personally I would definitely be happy to have an available binary, and I 
think that it would be great for Octave overall.  
Just my own two cents.

—Adam