From Newsgroup: uk.comp.sys.mac


This appeared in comp.misc but seems relevant to here also.

-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject: package manager for classic Macs
Date: 19 Jul 2025 16:02:25 GMT
From: Retrograde <fungus@amongus.com.invalid>
Newsgroups: comp.misc

From the -2cool-+ department:
Title: MR Browser is the Package Manager Classic Macs Never Had
Author: Tyler August
Date: Fri, 18 Jul 2025 08:00:00 +0000
Link: https://hackaday.com/2025/07/18/mr-browser-is-the-package-manager- classic-macs-never-had/
Podcast Download URL: https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/ MR_Browser-thumb-e1752606880818.jpeg?w=250

[image 1]

Homebrew bills itself as the package manager MacOS never had (conveniently ignoring MacPorts) but they leave the PPC crowd criminally under-served,
to say
nothing of the 68k gang. Enter [that-ben] with MR Browser, a simple
utility to
fetch software from Macintosh Repository[2] for computers too old to hit
up the
website.

If yourCOre not familiar with Macintosh Repository[3], it is what it says
on the
tin: a repository of vintage Macintosh software, like Macintosh Garden
[4]but
apparently less accessible to vintage machines.

[image 6][6]MRBrowser sys6 runs nicely on the Macintosh Plus, as you can
see.

There are two versions available, depending on the age of your machine. For machines running System 6, the appropriately-named MR Browser sys6 will
run on
any 68000 Mac in only 157 KB of and MacTCP networking. (So the 128K
obviously
isnrCOt going to cut it, but a Plus from rCO86 would be fine.)

The other version, called MR Browser 68K, ironically wonrCOt run on the
68000. It
needs a newer processor (68020 or newer, up-to and including PPC) and TCP/IP networking. Anything starting from the Macintosh II or newer should be game; itrCOs looking for System 7.x upto the final release of Mac OS 9, 9.2.2. YourCOll
want to give it at least 3 MB of RAM, but can squeak by on 1.6 MB if you arenrCOt
using pictures in the chat.

Chat? Yes, perhaps uniquely for a software store, thererCOs a chat function. ThatrCOs not so weird when you consider that this program is meant to be a stand-alone interface for the Macintosh Repository website, which does,
indeed,
have a chat feature. It beats an uncaring algorithm for software recommendations, thatrCOs for sure. Check it out in action in the demo video below.

ItrCOs nice to see people still making utilities to keep the old machines going,
even if coding on them isnrCOt always the easiest[7]. If you want to go
online
on with vintage hardware (Macintosh or otherwise) anywhere else, yourCOre virtually locked-out unless you use something like FrogFind.[8]

Thanks to [PlanetFox] for the tip. Submit your own,[9] and you may win
fabulous
prizes. Not from us, of course, but anythingrCOs possible!

https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/MR_Browser.mp4[10]

*

Links:
[1]: https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/MR_Brower_feat.png?
w=800 (image)
[2]: https://www.macintoshrepository.org/44146-mr-browser (link)
[3]: https://www.macintoshrepository.org/ (link)
[4]: https://macintoshgarden.org/ (link)
[5]: https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/MR_Browser-thumb- e1752606880818.jpeg (link)
[6]: https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/MR_Browser-thumb- e1752606880818.jpeg?w=250 (image)
[7]: https://hackaday.com/2025/07/09/programming-like-its-1986-for-fun- and-zero-profit/ (link)
[8]: https://hackaday.com/2025/05/20/the-world-wide-web-and-the-death- of-graceful-degradation/ (link)
[9]: https://hackaday.com/submit-a-tip/ (link)
[10]: https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/MR_Browser.mp4 (link)
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