Please forgive me if this is a forbidden topic, but it seems relevant.

In the installation instructions, you recommend not to install Homebrew for the sole purpose of installing get_iplayer, and if you did, remove it.  Why?  Everything is going swimmingly, and I learned a lot.

Cheers,

Please link to the section that states this. I can't see it.

Maybe I shouldn't have said "you", but the reference is here: https://github.com/get-iplayer/get_iplayer/wiki/osx at the bottom of the page.

Regards,

I can only assume you mean this section then - which is clearly titled 'Upgrading':

https://github.com/get-iplayer/get_iplay...#upgrading

It comes with the clear explanation:

Quote:Special care must be taken if you are upgrading from a previous manual installation of get_iplayer to a Homebrew installation, or vice versa.

Now lets look at the sub-section I assume you mean specifically:

Quote:If you are upgrading from a Homebrew installation to a manual installation, run:

brew uninstall --force get_iplayer

to remove get_iplayer before proceeding. If you elect to keep Homebrew on your system, retain the AtomicParsley and ffmpeg from your prior get_iplayer installation with Homebrew - don't try to download and install fresh copies as directed in the manual installation instructions below.

However, if you previously installed Homebrew and only used it to install get_iplayer, you are strongly recommended to completely remove it along with all applications installed with it, including AtomicParsley and ffmpeg. See http://docs.brew.sh/FAQ.html for information on completely uninstalling Homebrew.

So this recommendation clearly relates to switching from a Homebrew installation to a manual one.

Let's look at what you said in your first post:

Quote:In the installation instructions, you recommend not to install Homebrew for the sole purpose of installing get_iplayer, and if you did, remove it.

I still don't see where this is stated. It's states a recommendation to remove Homebrew if you are switching to a manual installation but there is no general recommendation to not install Homebrew simply for the purpose of installing get_iplayer.

Near the top of the same page, under "Homebrew installation", it states:

"If you do not understand how Homebrew works, DO NOT install it just to use get_iplayer. Perform a manual installation as described below."

Well, I don't, but I did it anyway, because the manual installation seemed a lot more complicated. I am just wondering if there is any harm in leaving Homebrew sitting there.

I appreciate you giving time to a noob.

The key there is "If you do not understand". If you do or are willing to learn then you should have no issue.

It's a cost benefit analysis. If you're not willing to learn then you're installing a very large (including xcode which is GBs in size last time I looked) and powerful programme that can alter important parts of your system all for the want of a few lines of copy and pasting if doing it the manual way.

In general, it's better to keep full understanding of your system and the things that run on it, hence the recommendation to manually install if you're not willing to learn Homebrew.

That said, you should have minimal ill effects if simply keeping to the relevant Homebrew instructions for updating/managing get_iplayer. It's just not our recommended way.

I am willing to learn. Thanks very much for the explanation!
Best,