We are going to run a UNIX style program on our Mac by way of X11
that is running under OS-X 10.2.x
Sound complicated? It's really very easy.
Okay, here we go:
A) To do this, you will need the X11 application from Apple:
You can pick this up at http://www.apple.com/macosx/x11/download/
Just follow the installer instructions.
B) We are going to "try out" Xephem, a really nice scientific grade
astronomy program that lets you view all kinds of things.
To do this we need to get a copy of this program.
Go to
http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/unix_open_source/xephem.html
and download it. (it is small ~ 2.5 MB)
Now if you read the requirements, it lists things that you might think
you need (XFree86, etc). Ignore that because we now have X11.
Run the installer and just let it do what it is supposed to.
With those two things out of the way we are ready to go:
1) Start X11 running, (it should now be in your Applications folder)
double click on the icon to get it up and running. Several windows
should open. Ignore those for the time being.
Move down into the dock, click and hold on the dock icon. Drag it over
to the left some and leave it in a nice spot in your dock.
2) Select the menu called Applications, then the item called
"Customize..."
Click on the Add Item button. A blue line should appear, double-click
in the left hand side (This is where you will enter programs' names.
Type in Xephem, then double click in the right hand side, and enter
/usr/local/bin/xephem then click on the done button. Close
the dialog box.
3) Go back up to the Applications menu and your new choice Xephem is
listed, select it. XEphem will start running.
Some notes:
If you have been using the UNIX command line version of seti at home, you
can have XEphem display where in the sky your current work unit is
from. Neat huh.
Jerry
p.s. From more information about using XEpehm, point your browser at
http://www.clearskyinstitute.com/xephem/index.html and look around in
here.
| The next meeting of the Louisville Computer Society will
| be February 25. The LCS Web page is <http://www.kymac.org>.
