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HackStore – Cydia for OSX
February 28, 2013
0

In the 1990’s Microsoft had many cool independent app’s for Windows.  Instead of encouraging them, the firm often would partner with the vendor while simultaneously building its own internal version only to leave the vendor out-in-the-cold later.  Read the sordid tale of Microsoft and Sybase.  These types of anti-competitive practices landed MSFT in hot water with the US Department of Justice (DOJ).

Apple has always been a bit elitist and closed-fisted.  True to form, iPhone and Macintoshes are moving the way of the walled garden where only people who pay fealty to Apple are allowed in.  Yet freedom fighter like myself and other Hackers are dedicated to ensuring your freedom, so Mac still has all of these cool apps and HackStore makes it easier to get them legally and safely.

Enter the HackStore, an open AppStore for OSX.  In layman’s terms, this store sells apps that independent software developers (read: non-corporate programmers) write.  An example serves best.  Below you will see the HackStore interface.  First a user clicks the link for the HackStore.  Once at the website click download and install from the Disk Image File (HackStore.dmg) downloaded to your Mac.

After installing, search for an App.

VirtualNexus-HackStore-Onyx-Search

Review the App.

VirtualNexus-HackStore-Onyx-Detail

Click download and install.

Once installed, you can launch the application from your normal Applications folder.  Below you will see two more images.  First, the Onyx Interface itself.  I chose this to illustrate a powerful Mac maintenance utility.  It cleans up caches and logs and gives access to hidden gems in OSX.  Another image is for the Utilities category in HackStore.  Try  AppCleaner, search it yourself, it automatically removes and cleans up Apps you drag to the trash!  Instead of paying MacCleaner $49.99 a year, get these two for free!

VirtualNexus-Onyx-Interface

 

VirtualNexus-HackStore-Utilities