Opening An App From Unidentified Developer ?

[Robert4]

Hello,

I downloaded a free .pdf editor, Scribus, from SourceForge.net.

But, a message came up that the Mac won't open it up due to
it being from an unidentified source / developer, etc.

Guess it has to do with a security setting, somewhere.

a. Where do I go, please, and what do I change, to allow the opening of ?

b. And, once that is done, do I need to keep the .dmg file that is now on my desktop from them ?

c. SourceForge "reputable" ?

Thanks,
Bob

 

[JustMartin]

System Settings/Security and then check to allow apps from trusted developers.
No need to keep the disk image (dmg) file after you've done the installation
Sourceforge is pretty reputable

 

[whooleytoo]

You can also open it by right-clicking (or Ctrl-clicking) the app and selecting Open. This creates an application-specific exception to the security rule. It might be a bit safer than turning off the security check completely.

 

[mpe]

sourceforge is NOT a reputable source. They used to be, but that was a decade ago. Nowadays, they are known for repacking archives and bundling malware/adware and they have seen an exodus of software projects hosted on their site.

https://arstechnica.com/information...s-of-fleeing-users-cashed-in-on-malvertising/

The error is displayed for a good reason. I would always think twice before installing unsigned software (unless you absolutely trust the developer and his site and double checked the checksum of the binary).

 

[gnasher729]

Hello,

I downloaded a free .pdf editor, Scribus, from SourceForge.net.

You think you downloaded Scribus, but you don't know it. All you know is that you downloaded some app created by a developer who not only isn't known to Apple, he isn't known at all. Even if there is a honest-to-god software developer somewhere who created an honest-to-god app named Scribus, you don't know if that is what you downloaded.

And if you downloaded a malware app, anything can happen.

 

[TiggrToo]

sourceforge is NOT a reputable source. They used to be, but that was a decade ago. Nowadays, they are known for repacking archives and bundling malware/adware and they have seen an exodus of software projects hosted on their site.

https://arstechnica.com/information...s-of-fleeing-users-cashed-in-on-malvertising/

That was then. In 2016 they were brought buy the BIZX, LLC who immediately terminated the DevShare program that was the source of all this.

https://arstechnica.com/information...ent-sourceforge-moves-to-put-badness-in-past/

 

[mpe]

Sourceforge.net changed owners again and new guys claim they terminated the programme where they deliberately bundled malware to downloads which was their previous business model. That's good for them. But still, my trust in that site is broken, I would not consider it as a reputable source. As a developer would never host anything there and as a customer would never download an unsigned binary from that site again.