Code by Kevin has released PortAuthority 4.0, an update of the GUI (graphical user interface) for the MacPorts Unix software management system for Mac OS X.
MacPorts is a command-line tool for installing and updating a variety of Unix-based applications for the Mac. Its power, though, comes at the cost of some complexity; in the past the only way to utilize MacPorts was to type in various commands into the Mac’s Terminal application, which can be intimidating for those users without a Unix background.
PortAuthority aims to bring the power of MacPorts to the traditional Mac user by providing a user-friendly graphical interface to MacPorts. Using a familiar combination of windows, icons, and menus, PortAuthority users can search, install, update, and remove MacPorts programs and the MacPorts infrastructure itself.
Among the features and improvements in PortAuthority 4.0 are: a fully native user interface appearance with Cocoa toolbars; improvements in the print engine; and improved stability with internal use of AppleScript. PortAuthority is shareware; a license costs $24.99 and a 30-day demo is available.
Mac OS X 10.6 or higher is required. For more information about PortAuthority, including download links, see http://www.codebykevin.com/portauthority.html .