Using Markin on Macintosh (OSX) and Linux Computers

Marked text files created using Markin are fully compatible with all standards-compliant browsers, including those running on Macintosh and linux computers. The Markin program itself is a Windows application, and there is no "native" OSX or linux version - but it can be used on Mac or linux computers running Windows emulator software, or a Windows virtual machine.

Please note that while we are happy to provide as much information and support as we can about running Markin on non-Windows computers, we cannot promise to resolve problems, or guarantee that the program will work on your particular setup. If you want to use Markin in this way, please download and install the program as described below, then test it in its free, limited version on your non-Windows computer. We recommend that you only purchase a registration key when you have tested the program on your computer and are happy that it works. Please see our Terms and Conditions page for further information.

Markin on Mac Computers Running OSX

The simplest way to use Windows software on a Mac is using the Parallels Desktop program, which creates a Windows "Virtual Machine" on your Mac. However, this option is not free, as it requires users to purchase both the Parallels Desktop software, and a Windows operating system licence.

The alternative (for Intel-based Macs) is a free solution based around the Windows emulator system called WINE, using an add-on called WineBottler. WineBottler is a program specifically designed to simplify the process of installing and running Windows programs under WINE in OSX. Our tests indicate that to use this setup, your Mac should be running OSX 10.5 (Leopard) or later - it is certainly possible to get it working on earlier versions, but you may need to install other software to do so.

But please note - recent reports indicate that MacOS version "Catalina" is not compatible with WINE, so Mac computers running Catalina cannot currently run Markin in this way.

To install Markin using WineBottler, follow these steps:

  1. Download the WineBottler Combo Package from http://winebottler.kronenberg.org/
  2. Download the Markin4 installer file from http://www.cict.co.uk/markin/download.php
  3. Install (by dragging into the Applications folder) the files Wine.app and WineBottler.app from the WineBottler Combo package.
  4. Double-click on the Markin installer file, and choose the option to use WineBottler to create a .app file from the application.
  5. When the Markin installation is complete, it asks you whether you want to run the Markin program - do so.
  6. Close the Markin program - the WineBottler should then complete its "wrapping" process, and generate a file called Markin4.app.

To download WineBottler, visit http://winebottler.kronenberg.org/ and download the WineBottler Combo Package - this is a Mac-format DMG file. You will also need to download the Markin installer from our download page.

Once you have downloaded the DMG disc image file to your OSX computer, drag and drop the Wine.app and WineBottler.app folders into your Applications folder.

Markin in linux

To use Markin on a linux computer, you need to install the WINE package. The procedure depends on the linux distro you are using, but WINE is commonly included in most package managers and repositories, including the Ubuntu Software Centre.

Once you have installed WINE, download the Markin installer and open it with the WINE Windows Program Loader. This will install the Markin program into your WINE environment. During installation you are offered the option to add a desktop icon for Markin - if you choose this option, a Markin icon will appear on your desktop, and you can run the program using that icon.