It seems like there are a lot of options for Go software, but there are always problems whenever I try to download anything. I have OSX 10.6.8. Goban requires a newer version. And Mac Gnu go requires an older version. What's the best Mac software for beginners that will actually work with my computer?

I would suggest KGS which will work on the mac.

Is that a standalone or can you only play it online? I'm looking for something that can be both because my Internet isn't so great right now.

It is just online except as a game editor.

Anything that works offline as well?

KGS works offline - viewing games, editing, etc.

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If you want to play against a computer opponent, I recommend gogui, which is written in java, so should run everywhere (tm).

You can plug any GTP bot into gogui. Good free bots are gnugo, pachi and fuego, although you may have to compile pachi and fuego from source; I don't think there are precompiled binaries for mac available.

Be prepared that pachi and fuego are fairly strong on smaller boards (assuming "normal" hardware).

Gnugo can be compiled in Mac OS 10.6.8, likewise fuego and pachi. I've had them all in my old mac (which is 10.6.8.) They all can be compiled in 10.9.1 without major trouble (did it recently)

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Sen:te Goban is a nice mac app which supports GnuGo and Pachi with an extension, and an older version is available free. There is also a post on this forum with a list of some other mac apps.

I tried to install gnugo but it won't let me because "the classic environment is no longer supported." I tried downloading the version of Goban and it also wouldn't work. GoGui is just really confusing to set up and talks about having to compiling it from the sources whatever that means. I didn't know this would be so difficult...

As said in the opening post, the current (Mac Appstore) version doesn’t seem to run on 10.6.8.

I have an archive of the old, free version of Goban which should run fine on 10.6.x, IIRC. Won’t spread it publicly, though, cause otherwise I’m gonna be hanged, drowned and then shot.

Greetings, Tom

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Explanation for you.


"Open Software" really only means that the source code is available gratis (technically there can be the "normal and customary charge for good copy on standard medium but these days with bandwidth and the internet that's moot). It doesn't mean that somebody is going to provide you with a complied run exec ready to run on your computer. Somebody can do that for you but nobody is obligated to if you don't know how to compile << source code has to be compiled into executable code before you can run it >>

We should have a forum drinking game...

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I have Mac OSX 10.6.8 and I don't have any issues with CGoban or Gnugo

-- oh, you mean old CGoban? CGoban1?
Just use the latest CGoban (is it 2 or 3 now?) -- whatever you get using KGS. 3 I think.

10.6.8 still had support for "Classic Apps." Lion got rid of that, to much chagrin from a lot of people. Last time I checked on 10.6.8 I could run any of the older apps I had anyway.

Let's see if we can help "saltyd" with this << didn't know what "compile" meant and I think we should also assume not familiar with being able to work at the command line level >>

a) Saltyd, you imply you'd want Mac Gnu but need an older version for OSX 10.6.8 Have you tried obtaining an older version? Just because a free software web site has its easiest <<click here>> download the newest stable version doesn't mean that people involved with this site can't get you an older version. Maybe not, but most likely they still have the older version around somewhere.

b) Similarly with any other free software you are after. Contact the people involved. Tell them that just source code won't do unless they are willing to teach you how to complie.

c) Somebody here might have the older run execs. Maybe even an installer for them <<I think with just a run exec, no installer, you'd have to be able to work at the command line and need to know more about the innards of Mac OSX 10 to create the right directory, etc. -- I believe it's some version of Free BSD Unix under the hood >>

I am guessing the Goban version you tried and didn't work is 4.3, available in app store.
Older versions of Goban (v3.x) are available here: http://www.sente.ch/software/goban3/

Another old gui is GoPanda (v1): http://pandanet-igs.com/communities/gopanda
But GoPanda needs GnuGo to be installed separately. Goban comes ready to run with GnuGo, and has nicer interface anyway.

Someone did give me the old version of Goban but it still only works on 10.7, not 10.6.8.....

It's a matter of getting the right old version. Not just any older version.

Try to get into contact with the humans responsible for the application that you want. Keep in mind that when dealing with the "free software" projects these are volunteers so there isn't likely to be somebody on duty for "help" 7x24. In other words, a little patience is needed.

PS: Which (older) version of Goban did you get? There appear to be several available from the link kivi gave you.

I don't understand. The problem is the Java Web Start cgoban? Because I have 10.6.8 in my other machine and aside from sound, works well. When there was a .jar download of CGoban 3 (and I think there was, but maybe it was Cg2) it also worked.

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Geek of all trades, master of none: the motto for my blog mostlymaths.net