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Mac Installer is a purpose-built utility for automating BYOD installations in schools.

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Mac Installer

What is it?

Using powerful automation, Mac Installer is a portable macOS app, which installs, configures and audits new or existing macs in a matter of minutes. Setting up or maintaining macs can be a tedious task. Why spend precious time looking for critical settings when it can all be collated in one place?

From Problem to Inspiration

The Mac Installer originated from the need to configure BYOD Macs in a school environment. Unlike domain controlled macs, BYOD devices are user-owned and vary in compatibility, setting them up with the required software packages had always been a lengthy task, extended by the need to tweak them for productivity and network requirements.

I coded Mac Installer to eliminate the need for hundreds of mouse clicks and Terminal commands just to "get it right". From a technician's perspective, Mac Installer reveals critical (and hidden) preferences all in one place, making the task easier than ever before to maintain consistency. It's automated software installation process allows autonomous installation of virtually any app solely by the installation files you provide.

A tool advanced enough for technicians, yet simple enough to be user friendly, did not exist. Let alone one to set up user-owned devices. So (over several months) I researched, developed, and programmed it - and it saves a lot of time.

App Overview

Launch Screen

The Launch Screen is the very first view presented to the user.

Launch Screen

Step-by-Step Customisation

Mac Installer features customised control over the setup process.

App Installer Desktop Settings
App Installer Desktop Settings
Finder Preferences Dock Settings
Finder Preferences Dock Settings
Certificates Directory Binding
Certificates Directory Binding
Browser Configuration App Store Apps
Browser Configuration App Store Apps

Device Info and Auditing

View key system information about the current mac and export it, in various level of detail, to your USB drive on-the-go.

Info and Auditing

Adjust Advanced Settings

Many of the Mac's advanced, and often hard-to-find settings have been collated into the application.

Advanced Settings

Product Licencing

Single License, designed for the one-man-team. During the initial registration process, Mac Installer is licensed to 1 USB drive of your choosing (can be changed later). Once registered, you can only launch Mac Installer from that USB drive. Cloning the license to additional drives (e.g. to support multiple field technicians) is a feature of the Professional Edition.

The fully featured and unrestricted Mac Installer which can be launched from any location (incl. Network Shares) to serve larger campuses or repair shops. In multi-user / team environments, Mac Installer allows each member (e.g. technician) to have their own USB key using the same Professional license key (in-house distribution).

Key Difference

Feature Mac Installer Basic Mac Installer Pro
Subscription Based YES YES
Device Configuration Tools YES YES
Troubleshooting Tools YES YES
System Auditing YES YES
All Updates YES YES
Multi-User License - YES
In-House Distribution (make multiple USB keys) - YES
Launch from Server / Network Share - YES
Priority Support - YES

Getting Started

A short guide is located on Mac Installer's official website, and can be found on the Getting Started page.

If you are interested in how this product has evolved over time, see the Changelog for more information.

See something that can be improved?

While this is not an active project of mine, I would love to hear from you. Feel free to submit a Pull Request if you can improve this repository, or open an issue should you encounter a bug. 🐞